Putin shift on Ukraine,grave mistake:

Russia has made a "tactical mistake" by abruptly shifting its policy towards Ukraine and surrendering to Western pressure, a political analyst writes on Press TV website.

In a Saturday article, Finian Cunningham criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of Ukraine’s presidential election.

“It seems a tactical mistake by Putin to acquiesce to the Western-sponsored regime-change operation in Ukraine and the ongoing terror campaign that this regime is subjecting dissenting populations to, by affording a fake legitimacy to a farcical election.”

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow will respect the result of the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine.

“How can an election be recognized as legitimate, when that election is being conducted by a criminal junta comprised of foreign-backed murderers and usurpers?” Cunningham asked, adding, “You can’t placate a lawless bully by pandering to it. The bully – the Washington-backed junta in Kiev - only understands the language of force.”

Ukraine’s presidential election was held on May 25. Petro Poroshenko has won 54.06 percent of the votes counted from about 40 percent of precincts.

The election came after months of political crisis, which erupted last November when the former president, Viktor Yanukovych, refrained from signing an association agreement with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia. The refusal triggered months of unrest, which finally led to the ouster of Yanukovych on February 23, who then left the country for Russia.

“Moscow would be better to condemn this regime, as it did until recently, and the sham election that this imposter junta is foisting on the Ukrainian people,” Cunningham said.