Leaders of breakaway regions of Ukraine that have aligned themselves with Moscow are pleading to be formally annexed by Russia, as forces loyal to Kyiv continue reclaiming territory occupied by the Kremlin since the invasion more than six months ago.
Analysts say calls for Russia to formally absorb the self-described Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics suggest that Kyiv’s ongoing counter-offensive in the north is causing panic among some leaders of Moscow’s proxy forces in Ukraine and decision-makers in the Kremlin.
But Moscow does not control all of the territories inside Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region.
“Partial annexation at this stage would also place the Kremlin in the strange position of demanding that Ukrainian forces unoccupied ‘Russian’ territory and the humiliating position of being unable to enforce that demand,” according to analysts at the D.