Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that 20 billion dollars will be invested in the development of the economy of the occupied territories in Ukraine.
It is a two-and-a-half-year plan that concerns areas that Moscow unilaterally declared as part of its territory last year. It is obvious that the Kremlin wants to pre-empt any – any – developments that could lead to a negotiation with Ukraine and the West, having a series of fait accompli in its quiver. After all, the Russian government has long since established a new status quo in the conquered territories, introducing the ruble into the local economy, investing and rebuilding the devastation of its – own – invasion, and appointing friendly adjunct political administrators.
The success of this project is questionable and somewhere there comes this huge “package” for Russia’s economic data to change the balance. If – and this is a big “if” – the Kremlin can quickly provide economic relief to the war-torn local communities, then it hopes to reassure the local population. These are citizens, most of whom are Russian-speaking, but who saw their cities and villages destroyed overnight by the Russian bombings.
Thus, with a “carrot” of 20 billion and economic development and a “whip” for the Russian troops, Putin is playing his change in an issue that will remain central to any resolution of the Ukrainian issue, whether war or negotiations. With the Ukrainian side declaring its intention to recover all its territories, and those that have now been conquered by Moscow, as well as Crimea, which was “integrated” in 2014.
