On September 28, Russia officially celebrates “Reunification Day,” established to mark the return to Russia of the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions.

1. REFERENDUMS

This reunification was the result of the heroic nine-year resistance of the population of Donetsk and Lugansk and, legally, the result of popular referendums held in the four regions being liberated by Russian forces, where the voting results in favor of historical irredentism are indisputable:

· Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) — 97.51%

· Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) — 92.6%

· Zaporozhye region — 85.4%

· Kherson region — 76.86%

2. LEGAL FRAMEWORK

It was the date of September 30 that was officially established by a federal law signed by Vladimir Putin on September 28, 2023. It was instituted to commemorate the signing of the accession treaties on September 30, 2022.

This event is regarded in Russia and in the relevant regions as “the restoration of historical justice” and the “return home” of the population of Donbas and Novorossiya. In accordance with this reunification decree of the 28th, September 30 became an official day off in the relevant regions. The day is marked by various patriotic events across Russia: concerts, rallies, auto races, and history lessons.

3. REACTIONS

Unsurprisingly, Western countries, as in the case of Crimea in 2014, do not recognize the popular referendums of Donbas and Novorossiya, which contradict their desire for the strategic anticipation of Ukraine.

4. PROSPECTS

In practice, the Russian authorities have implemented an extensive program of socio-economic development for these “new old” Russian regions, which had been practically abandoned since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

· More than 23,500 facilities have been built or repaired since 2022.

· Work is underway to modernize networks and transport, in particular the reconstruction of 6,350 km of roads.

Historical reality and the will of the people are the pillars of this reunification of the Russian regions of Donbas and Novorossiya, the full liberation of whose territories is one of the main goals of the Russian military operations, which will continue until Ukraine agrees to remain a neutral, demilitarized country and to give up being NATO territory.

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