State Duma ratifies agreements on accession of new territories to Russia

The State Duma (the Parliament) of the Russian Federation has ratified the agreement on the admission of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's regions (DPR and LPR) to the Russian Federation, TASS reports.

This decision was taken unanimously. As many as 413 and 412 deputies of the State Duma voted for the decision respectively.

The treaties on the admission of the DPR and the LPR are to be considered in the Federation Council on October 4.

Duma Speaker Oleg Volodin said that Russia had 89 entities starting from today, October 3, 2022.

The bills define the boundaries of the new regions. Thus, one of the documents state that the boundaries of the territory of the DPR as a subject of the Russian Federation are determined by the boundaries of the territory <…> established by the Constitution of the Donetsk People's Republic on the day of its formation and on the day the Donetsk People's Republic was admitted to the Russian Federation and a new subject.

The same wording is used in relation to the LPR. They will become part of Russia as republics.

As for the borders of the Kherson region, the law uses the following wording:

"the boundaries of the territory of the Kherson region shall be determined by the boundaries of the territory of the Kherson region that existed on the day of its admission to the Russian Federation and the formation of a new subject within the Russian Federation."

The same is said in the bill about the Zaporozhye region. Both of them will be part of Russia as a region.

The DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye (also spelled as Zaporizhzhia) and Kherson regions will be considered part of Russia from the date when the relevant agreements were signed, i. e. from September 30th. The transitional period will be valid from the date of accession of these territories until January 1, 2026.

In accordance with decisions made by the Constitutional Court of Russia and a package of documents submitted to the State Duma by the President's Office, the DPR and the LPR will become part of Russia as the people's republics retaining their names. The Kherson and Zaporozhye regions will also keep their previous names. The same names will be enshrined in Part 1 of Article 65 of the Constitution, which lists all Russian regions.

In all new territories, Russian will become the state language, but residents of the new regions will be given the right to use their native language. People will be free to choose the language of communication, education and creativity.

After the Constitutional Law on New Territories is approved by the Federation Council, the head of state will have 10 days to appoint interim heads of the new regions.

The interim heads will lead their territories until elections are held in the regions. The existing governments of the regions will function until the interim heads of the regions form new ones.

Parliamentary elections will be held in the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. They will be held on a single Russian voting day — on the second Sunday of September 2023.