Kuibyshevo (Rostov region), Sep 17 - DAN. Russian voters from the Donetsk People’s Republic visited voting stations in the Rostov region to participate in the election to State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament.
Russia is holding the parliamentary election on September 17-19; several regions will also elect their governors and regional parliament deputies. The Donbass residents who obtained Russian citizenship can join the Russian parliamentary election for the first time. Their number reaches over 600,000 according to the latest reports. They can travel to 15 voting stations in the Rostov region’s Kuibyshevsky, Matveyevo-Kurgansky and Neklinovsky districts.
Olga Lopushatina, a resident of Snezhnoye, believes that her participation in the voting can bring closer Donbass’ cherished dream, the reunification with Russia. She is confident that the election will change the life in the region.
“We want to unite with Russia, so that all are neighbors and brothers and have peace. There will be some changes after the election, even if small ones. It’s all for the best. We go for unification and it will certainly happen,” Lopushatina said.
“We’ve always felt being Russians. After what Ukraine did to us, we naturally want to be with Russia. I was among the first to get a Russian passport in 2019. We expect our life to get better after the election, so that children could return home and we could have a calm life,” Donbass resident Svetlana Voloshina said.
DPR authorities arranged for 800 bus runs and provided 12 trains to take residents to voting stations in Russia’s Rostov region. The transit is fare-free.
DPR residents can also vote online. Preliminary registration at the dedicated portal is required. Personal data must be confirmed at the Russian government services portal. Information centers and enquiry hotline 357 will operate in the DPR on September 17-19 to provide assistance in online voting. *jk