Two Russian oblasts plan to create "commonwealth" with occupied territories in Ukraine

Ukrainska Pravda
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In late August, Voronezh and Rostov Oblasts of the Russian Federation plan to sign an agreement on the creation of the "Donbas Commonwealth" with the Russian-occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts (the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics).

Source: Vasily Golubev, Governor of Rostov Oblast, in an interview with Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti at the Russia-Africa Forum in St. Petersburg

Quote: "Until 2014, there was the Donbass Euroregion. Then, Luhansk, Donetsk, Rostov, and, a little later, Voronezh Oblast joined this Euroregion. This is a structure that existed in Europe, the so-called border cooperation between regions adjacent to another country. Everything collapsed after 2014, but our contacts with Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics were constant. People came, obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation in Rostov Oblast.

And then we decided to return, initiating such an agreement, which will be called the Donbas Commonwealth. All [Russian] regions have confirmed their participation."

Details: According to the governor, two Russian oblasts, as well as the occupied parts of two Ukrainian oblasts, allegedly "unites the word ‘Donbas’," these are the four regions that were part of the territorial concept of Donbas.

"Of course, it was once centred on mining work. But today it can be much wider: the humanitarian sphere, relations between people, the educational sphere, the exchange of experience. A separate topic is the relationship between medium and small businesses... Transport infrastructure [,too]," Golubev stated.

He added that the agreement is planned to be signed late in August in Rostov Oblast.

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