People's rights in Donbas must be upheld: Russia at UNSC

United states, Feb 22: "We remain open to diplomacy for diplomatic solution. However, allowing bloodbath in Donbas is something we don't intend to do, Russia said at the UNSC meet.

The Russian Federation's representative, Vasily Nebenzya, who is also the UNSC President for February 2022, says: "The rights of people in Donetsk and Luhansk Republics must be upheld."

The envoy pointed out that Russia is not a party to the Minsk Agreement. Donetsk and Luhansk Republics are in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

"We are forced to note the negative role played by our western colleagues led by the US," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin moved quickly on Monday to recognise the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, framing his show of defiance against the West in a series of nationally televised appearances that came amid Western fears of Russian invasion in Ukraine.

The quick move by Putin represents a sharp change of course for the Kremlin, which in the past hoped to use a 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany to have Ukraine's rebel regions gain more power inside the country to stymie its bid for NATO membership.

The recognition of the rebel regions came as over 150,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine from three sides in what the US and its allies saw as a sign of an imminent invasion.

The US has warned that Moscow could try to create the pretext for attacking Ukraine with false-flag attacks in the volatile rebel east or other similar action.