Justice Zaitsev of the High Administrative Court of Ukraine just closed the case brought forward by Volodymyr Olentsevych which questioned the legality of the resolutions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed on Feb 22 and 23 (regarding the stripping of powers from President Yanukovych and appointment of Speaker Turchynov as Acting President). Had the court ruled otherwise, the legitimacy of the current Kyiv government (specifically of the status of acting President Turchynov as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) would have been put into question.

Immediately after the court ruling, Mr. Olentsevych was quoted as saying that he continues to believe Viktor Yanukovych to be the legitimate President of Ukraine, and that all laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada should be forwarded to Yanukovych in Rostov-on-Don (Russia) for signature. However, Mr. Olentsevych will not be appealing the decision of the High Administrative Court.

Personally, I am very much relieved by this ruling. The Kremlin and its allies in Ukraine (Medvedchuk and Co.) seem to have been foiled in their plans to generate a legal case for a Russian invasion – i.e. to reinstate the “legitimate” President. I have no doubt that Mr. Putin will continue to try to provoke unrest in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk and other eastern Ukrainian cities in order to undermine the post-Yanukovych government in Kyiv. But this will now be part of a long term Russian strategy. It may yet result in the creation of an excuse to invade, but not immediately.

Putin seems to have blinked. Thank God!