The heads of the LPR and DPR ask Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of the republics

They propose to conclude an agreement on cooperation with Russia, including in the defense sphere.

As Leonid Pasechnik noted, Russia's recognition of the independence of the LPR will save the lives of thousands of residents of Donbass, 300 thousand of whom are Russians.

The head of the DPR Denis Pushilin called the current situation in the Donbass critical. "On behalf of the whole people, we ask you to recognize the DPR as an independent, democratic, legal, social state", - he said in his video message.

Anatoly Antonov, Russian Ambassador to the United States, commented on the recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass. In an interview with CBS, he said that Russia is not trying to seize the territories of other states, including Donbass, since this territory is part of Ukraine. He added that Russia is interested in good relations with Ukraine. Nobody is going to start a war with this country, he added.

Recall that earlier, deputies from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation also took the initiative to recognize the independence of the DPR and LPR. They prepared a bill that proposes to ask the President to recognize the independence of the self-proclaimed DNR and LNR. According to the authors of the initiative, this will be the first step towards the recognition of these republics by other states. On February 15, the proposal was considered at a meeting in the State Duma. The deputies supported him.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, at a meeting with the Russian president, then said that the recognition of the independence of the LNR and the DNR "would turn into a disaster".