Putin Signs Accession Decrees: DPR, LPR, Kherson, Zaparozhye People Part of Russia Forever

By Staff, Agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed the treaties on the inclusion of the two Donbass republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, which declared independence from Ukraine, into the Russian Federation.

The collapse of the Soviet Union was a decision taken by partisan leaders who did not take the opinion of the people into consideration before making their decision, Putin said during an address to Kremlin.

His address had been awaited since the results of the referenda of the liberated Lugansk People's Republic [LPR], Donetsk People's Republic [DPR], Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions' accession to Russia came out.

"Contrary to the direct will of the people, the [Soviet Union] was ruined, and the people were confronted with a fact. We cannot go back to the past. And Russia no longer needs it. But there is nothing stronger than the determination of millions of people who consider themselves part of Russia, whose ancestors lived in a single state for centuries," Putin added.

"There is nothing stronger than the determination of these people to return to their true historical fatherland," he underlined.

Putin announced that the people living in the DPR, LPR, Kherson, and Zaparozhye "have become [Russian] citizens forever. I want people in Kiev and their real owners to listen to me; we call on Kiev to enter an immediate ceasefire to end the war they initiated back in 2014."

Putin announced Russia's formal recognition of the independence of the DPR and LPR in late February. This led to Ukraine escalating against the republics and using various tactics to try and undermine their leadership and hurt their civilians.

The Russian president went on to explain that the opinion of the peoples of the liberated regions was not up for discussion with Kiev. "Russia will not betray them."

He also promised to protect Russia's territories, by all means, saying Moscow would rebuild all the leveled cities and towns and back the industrial sector, develop enterprises, upgrade the infrastructure, and introduce healthcare systems.

"The West's claims to world domination have been shattered more than once by the courage of our soldiers," Putin said in light of various military feats achieved by the Russian military in Ukraine. "Russia is a thousand-year-old country-civilization that will not live by rigged rules."

"It was the West that trampled on the principle of the inviolability of borders, and now it decides who has the right to self-determination and who is 'not worthy' of it," he added.

Putin was referencing the fact that several bodies and states have said they would not recognize the accession of the regions to Russia and the fact that the UN Security Council even moved to condemn the referenda.

The resolution - drafted by the United States and Albania - has no chance of passing given Moscow's veto power, though it can then be presented to the United Nations General Assembly.