Syria joins Russia in formally recognising 'independence' of Ukraine's DPR & LPR regions

Moscow's staunch ally Syria on Wednesday, June 29 formally recognised the "independence and sovereignty" of Ukraine's two eastern breakaway separatist republics. Moscow had declared the independence of the  breakaway oblasts of Donetsk and Lugansk back in the month of February ahead of launching an all out invasion of Ukraine. The territories, situated in the eastern Donbass region, have been under Russian control since 2014.

The development comes just shortly after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with a Russian delegation and representatives of the Donetsk republic earlier this month. During the meet, Assad had iterated that Damascus was ready to establish a political relationship with Donetsk, as per the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

“The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to recognize the independence and sovereignty of both the Lugansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic,” Syria's foreign ministry told the official SANA news agency.

“We will communicate with both countries to agree on frameworks for strengthening relations, including establishing diplomatic relations in accordance with established rules," it added. 

Syria, Russia fighting 'same enemy': Bashar-al-Assad

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in a tone that echoed Russia's, had accused the United States of controlling terrorists and neo-Nazis, adding that Syria and its longtime ally Moscow are "fighting the same enemy." "Russia and Syria are in a battle against the same enemy. Both terrorists and neo-Nazis are controlled by the same country: the US," Putin’s staunch ally Assad said after a meeting with Dmitry Sablin, deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on defense, and a delegation of the Donetsk People’s Republic. 

"The main and the biggest battle is being fought against the policy of [imposing its] hegemony, which is being implemented by the West, which considers itself the center and seeks to rule the world in accordance with its interests," Syrian leader Bashar al Assad claimed during an interview. He urged the countries "to defend their sovereignty" and build "strong relations with each other in order to help to strengthen their own positions and realize the interests of their peoples." Bashar al-Assad widely backs Russia’s intervention in Syria in its fight against the rebels and ISIS while the US criticises the Assad regime and Russian forces for targetting the dissents.