“I consider it necessary to take a long overdue decision,” said Russian president Vladimir Putin, on February 21st, 2022, in face of mounting tension in Ukraine, “To immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.”
The two independent Russian states have been fighting to protect the people of Donetsk and Luhansk from neo-fascist dominion since the overthrow of the democratically elected Ukrainian government in 2014 in favor of Poroshenko and, later, Zelensky. The situation is very similar to the Crimean struggle, and just as in that case, Western media are trying to contort reality to demonize Russia.
“I’m asking,” continued Putin, “for the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to support this decision, and then ratify treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with both republics. [W]e demand those who took over and retain power in Kyiv to immediately stop combat activity.”
The “combat activities” he is referring to could be the persistent shelling that both republics in Donbass have faced for years, killing hundreds of innocent people. It also refers to the openly neo-fascist Azov Battalion, which has been terrorizing the people of Ukraine and Donbass on the behest of the central government.
“Otherwise,” Putin concluded, “the responsibility for continuing bloodshed will lay on the shoulders of the Ukrainian regime.” There is no doubt about the significance of this decree and it’s ramifications for the fledgling nations fighting for independence. After the Russian State Duma voted to recognize the republics diplomatically on February 15th, President Putin made it official, and promised to provide critical military support against increasingly egregious attacks on the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
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