Donetsk, Sep 21 — DAN. The servicemen of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics will enjoy equal rights with Russian career servicemen, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

“I have ordered the government and the Defense Ministry to determine the legal status of volunteers and fighters of DPR and LPR units; it has to be the same as Russian army servicemen’s, and include financial and medical support and social guarantees, ” Putin said in an address published by the Kremlin.

Special attention has to be paid to the organization of supplies of equipment and outfit to volunteer formations and DPR and LPR militias, he added.

Earlier, the DPR parliament held an emergency session at which it passed a law on a referendum in the Republic. It will be held on September 23-27. On Tuesday, the DPR and LPR Public Chambers brought forward the initiative to hold referenda over the Republics’ joining the Russian Federation.*jk