[goldstategop]

The self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic has now requested admission to the Russian Federation. Its going to be interesting to see if Lugansk will follow suit.

If they both apply, its hard to see President Putin turning them down. After all, he has Crimea as a precedent.

[dfwgator]

“We, the people of the Donetsk People’s Republic,

Has the People's Republic of Donetsk spoken yet?

[GeronL]

sure they did - Putin counted the votes himself

[FreeReign]

Self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic asks Russia for admission (Will Lugansk Follow Suit Alert)

Gosh. Gee. I wonder.....if Luhansk will "ask" for admission next.

(It's like watching a professional wrestling match.)

[Always A Marine]

This was fait accompli back after the February revolution in Kiev, and Ray Charles could see it coming. Just as Putin was not going to let Sevastopol and the rest of Crimea fall into NATO’s hands, he was not going to lose the Russian military’s industrial base in Donetsk under any circumstances. It is never safe to live along the frontier, and whether by hook or crook and whether anyone likes it or not, Russia will continue to dominate eastern Ukraine.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

And he has the Bill-Clinton-to-thank-for Kosovo autonomy vote, which occured after many Serbians were forced out of Kosovo, and after years of boatloads of Albanians coming into Kosovo illegally.

Clinton’s legacy, which no FReeper defends...and which opened up a can of worms.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Then again, I can’t see how the vote in eastern Ukraine is legitimate: Only Obama gets to engage in Chicago-style voting! /s