Kherson region of Ukraine to address Putin to become part of Russia

The administration of the Kherson region of Ukraine intends to appeal to President Vladimir Putin with a request to incorporate the region into Russia, TASS reports with reference to the deputy head of the administration.

"The city of Kherson is Russia, no KhPR (Kherson People's Republic — ed.) will be created on the territory of the Kherson region, nor will there be any referendums. This will be one single decree based on the appeal of the leadership of the Kherson region to the President of the Russian Federation. A request will be submitted to make the Kherson region a full-fledged region of the Russian Federation," Kirill Stremousov, chairman of the military-civilian administration of the region said.

It was earlier reported that Ukraine's Kherson region intended to integrate into Russia. Kirill Stremousov said that the authorities of the region did not plan a referendum for the purpose to set up a separate republic.

Kherson residents wonder what is going to happen next

According to Stremousov, local residents will be able to obtain Russian passports and opportunities for stable social assistance and security.

In April, the Russian Armed Forces formed civilian and military administrations in Russia-controlled cities of the Kherson region of Ukraine.

Almost the entire territory of the region remains under the control of the Russian army, Stremousov said. Local residents start returning to normal everyday life: businesses have reopened, the sowing campaign has begun, the distribution of humanitarian aid continues.

"Panic moods are gone. The state of affairs in the region is stabilizing. (…) Having left hysteria and panic behind, people begin to wonder what is going to happen next,” Stremousov said.

In mid-March, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian Armed Forces established total control over Kherson. According to Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, the population of the receives humanitarian assistance and essential items.

Later, the Ukrainian authorities announced that the Kherson region was going to hold a referendum on secession from Ukraine. However, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the existence of such plans.