Kazakhstan, an ally of Russia, has refused to recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics. Both the leaders of the disputed Donbas region, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, were present at the 25th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). But even Russian allies for now are apprehensive to recognise them as ‘Heads of Government’. On Friday, one of the key dignitaries, Kazakhstan President President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, while sharing the stage with President Putin at the plenary session, hit a rare discordant note from Kremlin’s position. “If the right to self-determination is put into practice all over the world, then...