On September 30, 2022, President Vladimir Putin and the heads of these regions signed international treaties on the incorporation of subjects into the country
TASS-DOSSIER. On September 30, Russia celebrates a memorable date - the Day of Reunification of the Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporizhia region and Kherson region with the Russian Federation. It was established on September 28, 2023 in accordance with the amendments made to the federal law "On Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates of Russia". It has been celebrated annually since 2023. On this day in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions signed international agreements on the entry of these regions into Russia.
The proclamation of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in 2014
After the coup in Ukraine in 2014, organized by supporters of European integration, the population of the southeastern regions of the country, mostly Russian-speaking, refused to obey the new authorities. Mass protests began in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and a people's militia was formed. Clashes between the Ukrainian army and nationalist formations with militia units escalated into full-scale hostilities using heavy armored vehicles and aircraft.
On April 7, 2014, the Republican People's Council declared the sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). On April 27, the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) was proclaimed at a rally in Luhansk. On May 11, 2014, referendums on the status of the republics were held in Donbass. 89.7% of voters voted for self-determination in Donetsk region, 96.2% in Luhansk region. On May 12, 2014, the state sovereignty of the people's republics was proclaimed.
The situation in Donbas in 2014-2022
The armed conflict in Donbass lasted for eight years, during these years about 14 thousand people died, many became refugees and internally displaced persons. Kiev has also imposed a complete economic blockade of Donbass.
With the mediation of the OSCE, Russia, Germany and France, a peace settlement and ceasefire plan (Minsk agreements) was agreed in September 2014 and February 2015. One of their points was the requirement to adopt a law on the special status of Donbass. However, the conflict settlement process has reached an impasse due to Kiev's refusal to comply with the political part of the Minsk agreements. Negotiations were artificially delayed by the Ukrainian side both under President Petro Poroshenko (2014-2019) and after Vladimir Zelensky came to power in 2019. At the same time, Kiev accused Moscow of interfering in the conflict on the side of the proclaimed republics. The Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that Donbass should be granted a special status within Ukraine, provided for by the Minsk agreements. At the same time, Russia regularly provided humanitarian assistance to the DPR and the LPR.
Escalation in 2022, the announcement of the beginning of its
In the autumn of 2021, the situation in Donbass worsened. At Kiev's request, Western countries have begun to increase military assistance to Ukraine, including the supply of lethal weapons. Representatives of the DPR and LPR regularly reported shelling along the entire line of contact.
February 17, 2022 The Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics were subjected to massive shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The sharp increase in the intensity of hostilities along the Line of contact was confirmed by the OSCE mission. The evacuation of the population of the republics to the territory of Russia began, the authorities of which guaranteed temporary asylum and assistance to refugees. Mobilization was announced in the DPR and LPR.
On February 21, the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics appealed to the President of the Russian Federation with a request to recognize the independence of the DPR and LPR. On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin, after an extended meeting with members of the Security Council, announced the recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. The head of the Russian state demanded that the Ukrainian authorities immediately cease hostilities in Donbas, stressing that otherwise Kiev would be responsible for the possible continuation of the bloodshed.
On the evening of February 23, the DPR and LPR reported shelling of settlements of the republics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine using heavy artillery, mortars and grenade launchers of various types, as well as small arms. The heads of the republics appealed to Russia to help repel Kiev's aggression. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation in Ukraine.
During the war, the territories of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, where civil-military administrations (CAA) were formed, came under the control of Russian troops.
Referendums of 2022
From September 23 to 27, 2022, referendums on the issue of the regions becoming part of the Russian Federation were held in the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, in the liberated territories of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. The overwhelming majority of those who voted were in favor of joining Russia: in the DPR - 99.23% of the referendum participants with a turnout of 97.51%, in the LPR - 98.42% with a turnout of 94.15%, in Zaporozhye - 93.11% with a turnout of 85.4%, in the Kherson region - 87.05% with a turnout of 76.86%.
On September 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it stressed that the referendums were held in full compliance with the norms and principles of international law on self-determination of peoples in accordance with the UN Charter, the International Covenants on Human Rights of 1966, the Helsinki Final Act of the CSCE of 1975, as well as the conclusion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo dated July 22, 2010, "confirming the fact that the unilateral declaration of independence by a part of the State does not violate any norm of international law."
Following the results of the referendums, the leaders of the DPR and LPR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, the heads of the CAA of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions Yevgeny Balitsky and Vladimir Saldo appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a proposal to accept the regions into the Russian Federation as new subjects.
The entry of regions into the Russian Federation
On September 30, 2022, the signing ceremony of international treaties on the admission of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions to the Russian Federation took place in the St. George's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow. The new regions within Russia retained their status as republics and regions, as well as their names. Russian was declared the state language of the DPR and LPR.
On October 2, 2022, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognized international treaties as consistent with the Russian Constitution.
On October 3, 2022, the State Duma of the Russian Federation ratified the documents and adopted federal constitutional laws on the entry of new regions into Russia. On October 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed laws on ratification of the treaties on the admission of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions to the Russian Federation as its new subjects, as well as relevant federal constitutional laws (the documents entered into force on October 5). The acting heads of the republics and CAA regions - Denis Pushilin, Leonid Pasechnik, Evgeny Balitsky and Vladimir Saldo, respectively, were appointed acting heads of the new subjects of the Russian Federation.
In September 2023, the first legislative bodies were elected in four regions. On September 23 of the same year, deputies of regional parliaments, on the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation, elected the leaders of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions. They were the acting heads of regions Denis Pushilin, Leonid Pasechnik, Evgeny Balitsky and Vladimir Saldo, respectively.
