Donetsk, Feb 12 - DAN. Integration between the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Russian Federation has been launched and is gaining momentum, DPR envoy to Minsk talks, the Republic’s parliament speaker Denis Pushilin told Donetsk News Agency.
“Kiev’s course towards economic blockade and isolation of the territories out of its control, as well as persistent reneging on implementation of the Minsk agreements predetermined our actions to ensure our own security and economic independence,” Pushilin said. “Integration processes with the Russian Federation have been launched and are gaining momentum, and their results have been noted, not only by our allies.”
While developing relations with the Russian Federation, DPR unilaterally began to implement Article 8 of the Ukrainian law on special self-rule in certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which envisions development of cross border cooperation with Russian provinces.
DPR and LPR integration with Russia was announced on 17 March 2017 in Livadia Palace (Yalta, Crimea) when the Russia-Donbass Integration Committee was set up to promote stronger humanitarian, social and cultural ties between Donbass and the Russian Federation. Denis Pushilin headed the Russian Centre which was set up on 8 December 2017.*jk