MOSCOW, September 30. Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions became part of Russia a year ago. Much has changed since then: destroyed cities are being restored, new roads are being built, infrastructure is being developed. What the first anniversary means for people — in the material .
How it happened The LPR was the first to announce its desire to join Russia. On September 19, 2022, the Public Chamber of the region approached the head of the republic, Leonid Pasechnik, and the People’s Council with a proposal for a referendum. As Deputy Chairman Lina Vokalova said then, Donbass had already made a choice in 2014 and had been waiting all these years to return home, and Kyiv nationalists tried to intimidate the civilian population “so that people would give up their dreams.” By that time, the allied forces had completely liberated the LPR from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so they voted in all settlements without exception.
Participants in the action dedicated to the Day of Reunification of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions with Russia, on the territory of the international children's center «Artek» in Crimea 
The same initiative was followed by the DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Moreover, in Kherson, over which the Russian flag was still flying, they proposed at the same time — with an eye to the future — to hold referendums in two settlements of the Nikolaev region. Also, the head of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, expressed hope for the return of the Odessa region to Russia.
“A year ago, on September 30, a defining, truly historical and fateful event took place — agreements were signed on the admission of four new subjects of the Federation to Russia. Millions of residents of Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions made their choice — to be with their fatherland,” Vladimir said Putin, congratulating citizens on the Day of Reunification of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions with Russia.
According to him, the authorities established in Kiev after the coup in 2014 tried to intimidate the residents of these regions, to take away from them “the right to determine their own future, your destiny, take away culture, traditions, native language.»
«But nothing and no one can break the will of millions of people, their faith in truth and historical justice,» Putin emphasized.
The referendum lasted from September 23 to 27. Residents of the DPR and LPR were asked one question: do you support the republic’s entry into Russia as a subject of the Federation? In the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions they asked about the desire to secede from Ukraine, create independent states and join Russia. In the DPR, 99.23 percent of voting participants responded positively, in the LPR — 98.42, in the Kherson region — 87.05, in Zaporozhye — 93.11.
First entry A year later, the territories held elections as part of Russia for the first time. Since there is fighting in the region, the electoral process has been adjusted. Firstly, they gave more time for voting: from August 30 to September 10. Secondly, they limited the dissemination of information about participants in party electoral lists — for security.
In the Kherson region, turnout was about 65 percent, in Zaporozhye — 68, in the LPR — 72.5, in the DPR — almost 80. Everywhere United Russia won, gaining from 72 (LPR) to 83 percent (Zaporozhye region).
National congress of residents of Zaporozhye on the issue of holding a referendum in Melitopol
Election observer from Italy Vitto Grittani, who visited Lugansk, said: “We did not notice or identify any violations, moreover, the city itself and the life that is in full swing indicate that there is no talk here of any occupation, which they say to us.» His colleague on the mission, chairman of the Prussian Society Berlin-Brandenburg Volker Friedrich Karl Chapke, added: the elections were an important event for the republic after “many terrible years.” Both noted that voters went to vote as if it were a holiday; they had never seen anything like it in their homeland.
“Over the year, Lugansk has changed so much that there is not even anything to compare it with,” says Lugansk Housing Committee specialist Yuriy Alimov. “Road workers from the mainland laid new asphalt. They placed benches and anti-vandal bins. I think even in Moscow there are no such every park. Sports and children's playgrounds have appeared, where young people now relax. This only seems like a trifle. In fact, the city has become much more convenient for life — and more aesthetically pleasing. Of course, there are enough problems in the republic. In many villages through which the war swept, there is no electricity «Not everywhere there is public transport. But our capital has really come a long way in a year.»
Participants in the action dedicated to the Day of Reunification of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions with Russia, on the territory of the Artek international children's center in Crimea
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“Donetsk was a front-line city and remains so,” says local taxi driver Ivan Levchenko. “Until we knock out the enemy from Avdeevka and Maryinka, the shelling will continue, peaceful life will not be established. Changes for the better are clearly visible in Mariupol, I have relatives living there . Traces of the war, of course, are still noticeable. But many dilapidated houses have already been demolished, and new ones are being built in their place. The whole city is one big construction site. Russia, not in words, but in deeds, shows how to restore what was destroyed. The city park was recently landscaped. there are traffic jams on the roads, in grocery stores there is unprecedented abundance. Very different from what I observed last summer.»
About the prospects Ambassador at Large for the Crimes of the Kyiv Regime of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik noted that the main achievement of the new territories is the emergence among people of confidence in belonging to a big country. “They consider themselves full-fledged Russians. Russia has come to them seriously and forever,” he emphasized.
Moscow is restoring roads and blown-up bridges, paying pensions, improving the healthcare system — and everyone can see this.
Women vote in elections to parliament and self-government bodies on a single voting day at one of the polling stations in Donetsk
“Yes, the situation is difficult, but the Rubicon has been passed. Everyone in Donbass understands perfectly well that if Russia had not launched a special operation, the DPR and LPR would no longer exist,” Miroshnik emphasized. “Western politicians do not recognize referendums, but no one doubts that that the vote was fair. In the West they know: Donbass has returned to its native harbor.»
The head of the Zaporozhye public movement “We are together with Russia” Vladimir Rogov said that in the new territories people are gradually accustomed to life in a rule-of-law state. “The concept of “political Ukrainianness” was deeply ingrained in the mind. There was even an unspoken social contract, according to which Ukraine did not touch its citizens, and they in return did not touch the state, thanks to which everyone could live as they wanted,” he explained.
Preparation to the referendum on joining the Russian Federation in Lugansk
Rogov also pointed out the importance of implementing federal infrastructure projects in region. “We have already repaired 30 kilometers of the highway connecting the Zaporozhye region with Crimea. In Ukraine, this section had to be covered in about three hours,” he gave an example.
In addition, the Russian authorities have launched an education reform. According to Rogov, the Ukrainian school prepared children to become labor migrants. “Now we have increased the quantity and quality of exact sciences in school,” emphasized the head of the public movement. This is also how new Russians formulate an image of the future in a united country.