Ukraine rebels threaten to end ceasefire amid disputes over voting

The cease-fire that has been in effect in Ukraine for a little over a month may be over following threats from leadership of the Russian-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - On March 18, Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky, leaders of eastern Ukrainian rebel regions, threatened to renew military engagements with Ukraine's military because of changes to the law that grants their regions self-rule. Recent legislation that granted Donetsk and Luhansk regional autonomy have been challenged by amendments.

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"We agreed to a special status for the Donbass within a renewed Ukraine, although our people wanted total independence. We agreed to this to avoid the spilling of fraternal blood," a statement from the leaders said.

The law which would have given autonomy to these regions was approved in Ukraine's parliament on March 17, but the amendments made to it drew criticism from Russia and the rebels.

Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister said that the amendments were a rewriting of a deal, one which Russia will not support.

"What comes out of parliament's decree is that only when these territories are led by somebody suitable for Kiev will the law on special status come into effect," he said. "That is an attempt to turn everything that was agreed upon on its head."

The Ukrainian government does not believe that Moscow or the rebels intend to keep the peace, and only are using the cease-fire in order to train and rearm, and intend to capture Mariupol, a vital Ukrainian city that sits on coast of the Black Sea.

Ukraine has requested that the United Nations and European Union send in peacekeeping forces in order to ensure that rebels comply with their agreed upon withdrawals, something that Moscow and rebel leaders have been seriously critical of.

Coming on the heels of this, while Putin and Moscow officials had previously denied all rumors that Russian troops were operating in Ukraine, numerous captives taken by Ukraine's military, funerals back home and even Russian media have announced that Russian soldiers have been fighting in Ukraine.

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