By Andrew Osborn and Mark Trevelyan

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Seated at a big white desk in an echoing Kremlin corridor, Vladimir Putin summoned his high safety officers one after the other on Monday to offer him their recommendation at a possible turning level within the disaster round Ukraine.

In a prolonged assembly of his Safety Council, broadcast on state tv in what a presenter referred to as “unprecedented footage”, Putin cross-examined ministers and spy chiefs on the query of whether or not to recognise the 2 breakaway Donbass areas of jap Ukraine as impartial states.

One after one other, they walked to a white lectern within the column-lined corridor to color a relentlessly grim image of the state of affairs in Donbass.

Trying pale and drained, Putin drummed along with his fingers once in a while as he listened.

His particular consultant on Ukraine, Dmitry Kozak, stated Kyiv and the West had no real interest in implementing a 2015 peace deal to finish the battle in jap Ukraine, the place pro-Russian separatists have been combating Ukrainian authorities forces for the previous eight years.

The pinnacle of the FSB safety service, Alexander Bortnikov, instructed Putin the safety state of affairs within the two breakaway areas was deteriorating, and that just about 70,000 folks had thus far fled to Russia.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu accused Ukraine of stepping up shelling of the separatist areas – which Kyiv has strongly denied – and stated some residents had been left with out gasoline or water.

A lot was using on the president’s choice. Recognition of the separatist areas may present Russia with a pretext to brazenly ship its navy forces into the Donbass and justify that by arguing that it was defending residents there from Ukraine.

It might additionally successfully kill off the Minsk peace agreements that every one sides, together with Russia, have till now referred to as the one doable route out of the disaster.

However Putin was taking his time.

SHOW OF AUTHORITY

At one level he intervened to emphasize that he had not mentioned upfront what the officers had been going to inform him, as if to dispel the impression that the proceedings had been choreographed.

In actuality, the televised assembly appeared calculated to convey the impression of a frontrunner rigorously arriving at an essential choice after weighing all of the proof from his subordinates.

It additionally gave Putin the prospect to exhibit his authority over probably the most highly effective folks within the land, placing them of their place in the event that they slipped up.

He jumped in to chastise overseas intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin when the latter stated he “will assist” recognition of the Donbass areas.

“Will assist, or do assist? Inform me straight, Sergei Yevgenievich,” Putin stated.

When Naryshkin then stated he supported the breakaway areas changing into a part of Russia, Putin upbraided him once more: “We’re not speaking about that… We’re speaking about whether or not to recognise their independence or not.”

Naryshkin: “Sure, I assist the proposal to recognise their independence.”

Putin: “Okay, please sit down, thanks.”

With all of the stories delivered, all eyes turned to Putin to pronounce his verdict – however he was not but prepared to finish the suspense.

“A choice shall be taken right this moment,” he stated – and with that, the cameras stopped rolling.