(VOVworld)- The situation in Ukraine has worsened after an election in Ukraine’s separatist region. The Kiev government has deployed more troops to the region, suspended the special status law and suspended budget allocation for regions claiming independence. These moves are pushing Ukraine closer to a long civil war.

Rebels stand guard during the inauguration of Alexander Zakharchenko as new PM of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/EPA

After an insurrection in Ukraine, the two republics of Donetsk and Lugansk were proclaimed, a move that led to the current crisis. Two months later, the Ukrainian government launched a military operation against the region’s separatists. On September 16, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a law giving special status to Donbass which consists of Donetsk and Lugansk. Under this law, Donbass has the right to use Russian or any other language and can conduct a local election on December 7. But the self-proclaimed republics organized their own elections of leaders and Parliaments on November 2.

The Ukrainian government condemned those elections as illegal. The US, the EU and NATO have not recognized the election results.

Blaming one another

After the November 2^nd election, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko accused the separatists of violating the Minsk agreement and signed decree suspending the law that granted special status to Donbass. President Poroshenko now has deployed additional troops to protect eastern cities against possible attacks by the separatists. The Kiev government has suspended all budget allocations for Donetsk and Lugansk.

Meanwhile, separatist leaders accused the Kiev government of violating the cease fire agreement by suspending the “special status law” for the eastern region. They said it was Kiev’s obligation to ratify terms that were agreed on previously, such as amnesty for participants in events in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions adding that Kiev’s actions invalidated the Minsk agreement.

Risk of worse crisis

It’s clear that the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated due to the two self-proclaimed countries’ determination to pursue independence despite Kiev’s objection. Disagreements on how to resolve the crisis have stymied efforts to restore peace in the eastern region. President Poroshenko wants a diplomatic solution while Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk is ready to use military force to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia’s support for and recognition of the separatist elections has deepened the rift between Kiev and Moscow and soured relations between Russia and the West. The US and EU are likely to impose additional sanctions on Russia because of Moscow’s recognition of the elections. The Ukrainian government is posed to resume its military operations in the east.

It has been one year since the crisis in Ukraine erupted and former President Viktor Yanukovych left office. Most Ukrainians want closer ties with Europe, but the separatist region’s leaning toward Russia has resulted in a declining economy, growing armed conflicts, and for many  Ukrainians, no jobs, no pensions and little hopes.