Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration — Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov MOSCOW, February 23Heads of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin and the Luhansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to assist in repelling aggression from the Ukrainian armed forces in order to avoid civilian casualties and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Donbass, the press secretary of the head of state said. Dmitry Peskov. «President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin received letters of appeal from the head of the Luhansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik and the head of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin. The heads of the mentioned republics on their own behalf and on behalf of their peoples once again express gratitude to the President of Russia for the recognition of their states» , he said.Kiev from the very beginning hatched plans for revenge with the Donbass, said Nebenzya. In the appeal, according to the press secretary, it is indicated that due to the aggravation of the situation and the threat from the Kiev authorities, residents of the DPR and LPR are forced to leave their homes and evacuate to Russia. Ukrainian security forces, as Pushilin and Pasechnik noted, are destroying the civil and industrial infrastructure of the republics, schools, hospitals, and kindergartens. The civilian population, including children, is dying. «The actions of the Kiev regime testify to the unwillingness to stop the war in the Donbass,» Peskov quoted the text of the letters. According to the appeal, the Ukrainian security forces are increasing their presence on the line of contact, receiving military assistance from the United States and other Western countries. The authors of the letters are sure that the Kiev regime is aimed at resolving the conflict by force. As Peskov noted, in connection with the current situation and in order to prevent the death of civilians and a humanitarian catastrophe, Pushilin and Pasechnik asked Putin «on the basis of Articles 3 and 4 of the treaties of friendship and cooperation and mutual assistance between the Russian Federation and the republics» to assist in repelling the aggression of the armed forces and formations of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 21 that he considers it necessary to immediately recognize the sovereignty of the LPR and DPR. He signed the corresponding decrees. The Russian leader also instructed to ensure the maintenance of peace in the republics. Putin explained that he made such a decision, because those who embarked on the path of bloodshed, violence and lawlessness do not recognize any other solution to the conflict in Donbass, except for the military one. 
February 22, 19:08InfographicsDonetsk and Luhansk People's RepublicsInfographicsViewPosted by: Petro Popadyuk
