Referendums to join the Russian Federation will be held in the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR) from September 23 to 27, the leaders of the states announced on Tuesday, according to Russia Today.
LPR head Leonid Pasechnik was the first to sign a law on “holding a public referendum in the republic on the inclusion of the region into the Russian Federation,” after its parliament unanimously supported the move and set a date for the vote.
The LPR’s decision was soon followed by DPR leader Denis Pushilin, who declared that his state would also be holding a similar referendum on the same date. Pushilin said he had already introduced the relevant legislation in the DPR’s parliament.
Russia recognised the two territories as independent in February, but most of the world still regards them as part of Ukraine. However, Kiev lost de facto control of both in 2014, when the local populations rejected the outcome of the Western-backed Maidan coup.
In a letter addressed to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pushilin urged the latter to consider incorporating the DPR in the territory of the Russian Federation if people approve the unification during the plebiscite.
MNA/PR