Parliament of Ukraine Extended the Law on Special Status of Donbass

Most of the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the extension of the law on the special status of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions until December 31, 2021.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Tuesday, December 15, extended until the end of 2021 the law on a special procedure for local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by official Kiev (ORDLO). The extension was supported by 304 parliamentarians, 27 MPs opposed. The law came into force in October 2014 and has been extended several times. Kiev wants to hold local elections on March 31, 2021 in the areas of Donbass that have come under the control of pro-Russian separatists.

Sanctions against the Russian Federation after the annexation of Crimea

Russia in March 2014 annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and considers it its territory. Kiev and the overwhelming majority of countries in the world do not recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territory. Shortly thereafter, the United States, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and Canada introduced the first package of sanctions against Moscow.

In April-May of the same year, pseudo-state formations - "Donetsk people's republic" and "Luhansk people's republic" were illegally proclaimed in Donbass with the support of Moscow. Sanctions against Russia have been expanded due to Moscow's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and the supply of weapons to them.