Ukraine Resumes Operations Against Separatists

Military and diplomatic factors have created significant obstacles for Kiev in its attempts to regain control of eastern Ukraine, but domestic politics have pressured the government to restart operations and reject Russia's demands. Circumstances dictate that Ukrainian forces attempt to systematically clear occupied buildings in eastern cities, a proposition both difficult and costly in terms of time and human life. Meanwhile, the Russian government is warning that a political solution will no longer be possible if Kiev continues to press a military solution.

With presidential elections scheduled for May 25, the interim government — dominated by the Fatherland party — is under growing pressure to show that it can defend Ukraine's territorial integrity. Fatherland's presidential candidate, Yulia Timoshenko, is falling behind in the polls, and success against the eastern separatists could boost the Fatherland party's domestic standing.