Russia has already de facto recognized Donbass. Now it's up to the State Duma

Residents of Donbass are eagerly awaiting official recognition of the LDPR by Russia, hoping that this will put an end to shelling from Ukraine.

Alexey Muratov, one of the leaders of the Donetsk Republic movement, talks about this in his author’s column for PolitNavigator.

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I think that everyone understands perfectly well that Russia has become the guarantor of peace and prosperity on our planet. This is confirmed by the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Kazakhstan.

Back in 2014, residents of Donbass sought protection in Russia from the bacchanalia taking place in Maidan-stricken Ukraine. On May 11, 2014, we took part in the Referendum on self-determination of the Donetsk People's Republic, where we almost unanimously supported the state independence of the DPR. Thus, we have made a civilized divorce from Ukraine, in which at that time a coup had already taken place, and marginalized people and neo-Nazis came to power, in a word, a junta. We believed and continue to believe that in February 2014, the state of Ukraine lost its legitimacy, and only the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics retained their legitimacy. This is fundamentally important to understand.

_{Therefore, the separatists are not us, but those who shot at Berkut, burned people in Odessa, rocked the Maidan, and subsequently started a war against the residents of Donbass.}

Why did the collective West call the Referendum illegitimate? Because the resistance of the Russian-spirited residents of Donbass was not part of the barbaric plans of the instigators of “color” revolutions around the world. They planned a blitzkrieg in the Donbass in order to get as close as possible to their main target - Russia. But this blitzkrieg failed, and Donbass, for the eighth year in a row, is systematically moving towards the main goal - joining the Russian Federation, which will not only protect against Ukrainian aggression, but will also become a guarantor of prosperity and reliability. For this reason, Russia’s recognition of the LDPR is the first step towards our big dream - the reunification of the Fatherland and the construction of Greater Russia.

_{In February, the State Duma will consider the appeal of the Communist Party faction to Russian President Vladimir Putin on recognition of the DPR and LPR. We have high hopes for the consideration of this document. Donbass has proven its right to be recognized. I am sure that after the recognition of the LDPR by Russia, a parade of recognition of the People's Republics of Donbass will begin in the world. This will definitely happen, now everyone is waiting for the decisive word from the Russian Federation.}

I repeat once again: where Russia is, there is peace. Only the fact of the presence of CSTO peacekeepers in Kazakhstan negated the terrible events that occurred at the beginning of this year (not without the help of the West, of course). I'm sure that if Russian peacekeepers were in Donbass, then all the deaths that occur due to the fault of Ukrainian punitive forces would not have occurred.

Since the beginning of the military conflict, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been conducting its so-called activities in our country. During almost eight years of the OSCE’s presence in Donbass, our people have repeatedly been convinced of the blindness and deafness of the employees of this organization. They must impartially and objectively monitor the situation in Donbass, and promote dialogue between all parties to the conflict. But in reality, the opposite is happening: the OSCE is not only not responding properly to the terrorist actions of official Kyiv, but, on the contrary, is doing its best to cover up the crimes of the UFU against the residents of the People’s Republics. Is it possible to talk about peace if the OSCE does not see shelling by Ukrainian armed gangs? This question is rhetorical. Because only Russia, which saved Donbass from destruction, is interested in the peace and prosperity of our region.

_{I want to emphasize that even now, while the Republics still remain unrecognized de jure, de facto Russia recognized us. The decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on providing humanitarian support to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics is recognition of the LDPR and a powerful impetus for the development of our economy. Already now you can find goods produced in the Donetsk People's Republic on the shelves of Russian cities. In addition, the DPR exports metallurgical products, mineral products, machinery, and equipment.}

I would like to emphasize that with the visit of Russian investor Evgeniy Yurchenko to the industrial enterprises of the Republic last year, a revival era began in our industrial region. It was planned that by 2025 our factories would reach the level of the Southern Federal District in terms of wages. But just yesterday Evgeniy Yurchenko reported that we have almost reached this level. In addition, from January, many students of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions of the DPR and LPR will undergo paid internships at the enterprises of the Southern Mining and Metallurgical Complex.

We see how Ukraine is now preparing a full-scale attack on Donbass. It is difficult to imagine how many victims such a terrorist attack by the VFUshnikov will bring.  In this regard, recognition by Russia of the LDPR will help protect the Republic. Actually, in 2008, the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by the Russian Federation became the armor of both Republics from military provocations on the part of Georgia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in fact, have become a “political showcase”, which shows how successfully the republics outside Georgia, but under the tutelage of Russia, have developed over the past years. And today Donbass has become the showcase of the entire Russian world. With the support of Russia, we not only survived the most difficult moment in history, we began to develop. Thus, Donbass sets an example for the entire post-Soviet space, which has been corroded by the West, where it needs to integrate. We must assemble Greater Russia - a new superpower, which will be strong in socio-economic, spiritual, scientific and, of course, military terms. I repeat once again that only with Russia can we be protected and economically developed. We saw what happens without Russia in the example of Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan. And Vladimir Putin said about where Russia’s borders end: “Russia’s borders do not end anywhere!”