ASSESSMENTS

Ukraine's Government Tries to Retake Control in the East

Jun 4, 2014 | 08:56 GMT

Ukraine's Government Tries to Retake Control in the East
A pro-Russian militant guards a state building seized in Donetsk, Ukraine.

(VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images)

Summary

Kiev and Moscow are escalating their battle for control of eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government announced June 3 that it would launch the next stage of a campaign to win back control of the country's east from militant separatists. At the same time, Russian-backed groups are working to consolidate control over those same separatists as a way to put more pressure on Kiev to compromise. Both sides believe eastern Ukraine is critical for determining the country's future orientation and territorial unity, and Russia will use all the leverage it can find to pressure Kiev into accepting its conditions for a stand-down.

Separatist militants and their Russian backers want to consolidate their gains ahead of negotiations with Kiev....

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