Kiev 'Rocking the Boat' by Reclassifying Donetsk, Luhansk Regions

Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) leader Igor Plotnitsky considers Kiev’s changing the status the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to "military-civilian administrations" as discrediting, provocation, and rocking the boat.

LUHANSK (Sputnik) – The political reclassification of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to "military-civilian administrations" by Kiev goes against the terms of the Minsk agreement, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky said Friday.

"This is in no way fits into the Minsk agreements. I see that they are following their favorite goal: discrediting, provocation, and rocking the boat," Plotnitsky said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday signed a decree to redefine the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as "military-civilian administrations."

"If Kiev assigned them [the administrations], let them stay in Kiev. Here, we do not recognize or accept them," the LPR leader added.

Also on Friday, Alexei Karyakin, speaker of LPR's parliament, called the reclassification of Donetsk and Luhansk a ploy to strengthen Kiev's blockade of the regions.

"This goes against the Minsk accord… This is one of the moments that exacerbate the situation," Karyakin said.

On February 12, leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine worked out a set of measures in the Belarusian capital to alleviate the conflict in southeast Ukraine. As part of a 13-point deal, the warring sides must observe a ceasefire, withdraw large-caliber arms and conduct prisoner exchanges.

Additionally, the latest Minsk agreement required Kiev to decentralize power ahead of wider constitutional reform in the government of Ukraine.