Russia marks fourth anniversary of Donbas and Novorossiya incorporation

Russia is marking the fourth anniversary of the signing of agreements to incorporate the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, into its territory.

Valentina Matviyenko, President of the Federation Council, congratulated residents of the four regions, stating that the decision made during the 2022 referendums has been “confirmed by time.” She noted that recent high voter turnout in the first federal elections held in these regions serves as a signal of support for Russian policy and President Vladimir Putin’s course, despite risks to life and provocations.

The referendums took place from September 23 to 27, 2022. According to official Russian results, support for joining Russia was recorded at 99.23% in the DNR, 98.42% in the LNR, 87.05% in the Kherson region, and 93.11% in the Zaporizhzhia region. Vladimir Putin signed the accession agreements on September 30, 2022.