Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the 'LNR' and 'DNR' and on friendship with them

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed “DNR” and “LNR”, which control part of the territory of Ukraine. He announced it in televised address to the nation.

Photo: Shutterstock

Putin announced his decision after emergency meeting of the Russian Security Council, which he collected on February 21.

“Russia has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine; all these years it has persistently fought for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2202 of February 17, 2015, which consolidated the Minsk package of measures of February 12, 2015 to resolve the situation in Donbass. Everything is in vain! Presidents and deputies of the Rada (Parliament of Ukraine - Ed.) change, but the essence, the aggressive, nationalistic character of the regime itself that seized power in Kiev does not change... They did not recognize and do not recognize any other solution to the Donbass issue other than a military one. In this regard, I consider it necessary to make a long-overdue decision - to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic,” Putin said at the end of his address.

Aggressive speech

But the head of Russia took a long time to make a statement on recognition, and the speech was rather aggressive. Putin recorded the televised address in his office. A huge part of it was devoted to history, in particular, the twisting of historical facts.

“We will have to speak thoroughly and in detail. The issue is very serious,” he warned.

Putin addressed both Russians and “compatriots in Ukraine,” explaining that this is not just a neighboring country, but “an integral part of our own history, our comrades, loved ones, relatives.”

“The situation in Donbass has again become critical and acute,” he said, explaining the need to “inform” about “further steps in this direction.”

“Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia, or more precisely by Bolshevik, communist Russia,” says Putin, who has expressed similar thoughts before. “Lenin and his comrades did this in a very rude way towards Russia.”

On the subject: Biden prepares to meet with Putin as Russia decides whether to recognize the independence of the 'DNR' and 'LNR'

Stalin, according to his logic, annexed to Ukraine the lands that previously belonged to Poland, Romania and Hungary, and Khrushchev “for some reason took Crimea away from Russia and gave it to Ukraine.”

Putin criticized Lenin’s principles of state building: “Everything was exactly like that, this is a historical fact! Ukraine named after Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - he is its author and architect... This is entirely confirmed by documents,” says Putin.

Putin called Ukraine “Ukraine named after Vladimir Ilyich Lenin” and added: “Do you want decommunization? We do not mind" pic.twitter.com/ODxPfBzVzF

- Kremlin pool RIA (@Kremlinpool_RIA) February 21, 2022

Then he spoke in detail about the collapse of the USSR and recalled the decommunization program in Ukraine.

“Do you want decommunization? Well, that suits us quite well! - Putin said. “We are ready to show what real decommunization means for Ukraine.”

Russia, he said, recognized independent states after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Putin said that Russia had fully paid off its Soviet debt, and Kyiv allegedly did not fulfill its obligations, although Moscow communicated “openly and honestly” with Ukraine. He also recalled the “theft” of Russian gas, accused Ukraine of encouraging nationalism and denied it the right to its own statehood. The Ukrainian oligarchs also got it from him.

According to Putin, “oligarchic clans” and corruption “brought the Maidan to a coup d’etat” in 2014 (with the support of the West, as Putin claims), and then “nationalists” carried out “real terror” against their opponents and “pushed Ukraine into the abyss” civil war." In addition, Ukraine, according to the Russian president, is “experiencing an acute economic crisis”: “Poverty, hopelessness...”

Even in his review, Putin said that Ukraine was “driven under external control” with the help of Western advisers and NGOs, which supposedly “have a direct influence on all decisions (even at the municipal level).” He did not forget about the “church schism.”

Putin believes that talk that Ukraine may again possess tactical nuclear weapons is not empty bravado - it is “a matter of time.”

“We cannot fail to respond to this real danger,” he said.

The United States and NATO “have begun the shameless development of Ukraine as a theater of military operations,” the Russian president continued. He considers NATO training missions a prototype of the alliance’s bases, and Ukraine’s possible entry into NATO as a direct threat to Russia. Putin once again stated that Moscow was promised not to allow such an expansion.

Putin further expressed fear that the West will use Ukraine as a springboard: “And today we don’t want to believe it... But it is so! I want this to be understood both in Russia and Ukraine.”

Putin said that the purpose of sanctions against Russia is one - “to restrain the development of Russia.”

“I want to say clearly and directly that in the current situation, when our proposal for an equal dialogue on fundamental issues has actually remained unanswered by the United States and NATO, when the level of threats to our country is significantly increasing, Russia has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security. This is exactly what we will do,” Putin said.

After recalling the security demands he had made of the West, Putin finally—about an hour into his speech—moved on to “the state of affairs in the Donbass” and recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed “republics.”

The Devil in Detail

Immediately after Putin’s speech, the question of the boundaries within which he recognized these formations remained open. In accordance with the “constitutions” of the “LPR” and “DPR”, the entire territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine are considered their territories, and militants now control less than half of these regions. It was not clear from Putin’s address whether he recognized them within the borders that the militants control, or the imaginary ones described in their “constitutions.” The recognition decrees themselves have not yet been published.

Later, Andrey Klimov, deputy head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs of the Russian Federation, clarified the situation: “Russia recognizes the “LPR” and “DPR” within the borders that are now actually established.”

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

In the end, Putin said: “And from those who seized and hold power in Kiev, we demand an immediate cessation of hostilities. Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of the bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine.”

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• 'Russia demanded to close the way to NATO for Ukraine and Georgia, in the Alliance - they refused.
• Since December, Russia began to accumulate troops on the borders with Ukraine
• Putin warned about possible war with NATO over Crimea and accused the United States of trying to hinder the development of Russia.
• The situation is heating up. Russia removes its diplomats from Ukraine and sends troops to Belarus, allegedly for the sake of exercises, and the US Secretary of State is urgently going to Kiev.
• US suspends embassy in Ukraine and take diplomats out of the country, assuring Ukraine of its full support.
• But due to the aggravation of the crisis, the United States is transferring its embassy in Ukraine from Kiev to Lviv.
• US and Europe announce Russian provocations being prepared to attack Ukraine: propaganda body video.
• In the US, they believe that Russia may invade Ukraine in some moment.

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