Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson Regions Can Ask Russia For Help With Referendums - Churov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2022) The Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions have the right to ask Russia and international organizations for help while holding referendums on joining Russia, Vladimir Churov, Ambassador for Special Tasks at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Sputnik.

"Organizing voting in elections and referendums is under the exclusive management of the bodies of a corresponding territory. They have the right to apply for organizational and technical assistance and even financial assistance to international organizations, for example, the UN (Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, DPPA), the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), and on a bilateral basis," Churov said.

The Kherson region and most of the Zaporizhzhia region are now controlled by the Russian military as a result of the special operation that began on February 24. Russia launched the special operation after the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

Local administrations have already been formed in the regions with Russian tv channels and radio stations broadcasting and trade and transport links with Crimea being restored. The regional administrations have announced plans to hold referendums to join Russia. A referendum on the status of Berdiansk and the liberated territory of the Zaporizhzhia region is scheduled for September, according to local authorities.