“Russia Prepares Eastern Ukraine for Referendums”, headlines the Russian daily Nezavissimaïa Gazeta. In the Ukrainian regions newly conquered by Russian forces, Moscow is sending increasingly important representatives. After one of the deputy prime ministers, Marat Khousnoulline, it was the first deputy head of the presidential administration, Sergei Kirienko, who visited the regions of Kherson and Zaparojjia on 7th June. He visited the cities of Melitopol and Berdiansk.
“This visit indicates that these regions will indeed hold a referendum on their integration into the Russian Federation”, value the title. And this, “at the beginning of autumn, i.e. from September 2022”.
Vladimir Rogov, member of the council of the civil and military administration of the Zaporozhzhya region, announced on the occasion of Sergei Kirienko’s trip:
“Integration processes are gaining strength on both sides, our desire to become an integral part of the Russian Federation is heard.”
Since May 25, the application for obtaining a Russian passport in both regions has been greatly facilitated. On June 8, the head of the civil and military administration of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, declared that these demarches were accessible to “every Ukrainian citizen”.
According to the leaders of the two regions, their constituents “literally throw themselves on Russian passports”.
Of the “People’s Republics” of Kherson and Zaporozhya
For the time being, if the Kherson region is entirely under the domination of the Russian armed forces and administration, this is not the case for the Zaporozhzhya region, which is only 70% controlled. But apparently this state of affairs does not seem to constitute an obstacle for the pro-Russian leaders.
Apart from this difficulty, the legal modalities of referendums are not yet clear and could take some time. Before the Kremlin can validate the integration into the Russian Federation of new States, it will first be necessary to create, by referendum, like the “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Lugansk, the “People’s Republics” of Kherson and Zaporozhzhia. Then, in a second phase, referendums on integration into the Russian Federation will have to be organised.