MOSCOW, Dec 20 Denis Pushilin, Acting head of the DPR, said that I am proud to lead a region with resilient people who have endured a difficult eight years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the ceremony of presenting state awards on Tuesday awarded Pushilin with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st class, for outstanding services in protecting the rights and freedoms of the civilian population from the aggression of Ukrainian nationalists.
Pushilin thanked the president for the high award.
«This is an award for every resident of the Donetsk People's Republic — a doctor, teacher, serviceman, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, public utilities, all those who have remained themselves over these eight years, remained true to themselves,» he said at the ceremony .
Acting head of the DPR said that in eight years there were difficult moments when various statements and even mockery were heard — «yes, they are not waiting for you» — both from their own and from strangers.
«I'm proud, it's an honor for me to lead the region with such persistent people. And now it's not easy, but we're not on our own now, so we'll cope with everything. Together with Russia we will win,» he concluded.
Exactly eight years ago the war in the Donbass began — on April 14, 2014, Kyiv began the ATO. The most fierce battles took place in 2014-2015, then the conflict turned from an acute phase into a positional war. All this time, people were dying in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — military and civilians, adults and children. This war claimed the lives of more than 13 thousand people.