Berdyansk. File photoBERDYANSK (Zaporozhye region), Aug 11 Twelve headquarters — five in Berdyansk and seven in the Berdyansk region — were opened to prepare for a referendum on joining Russia, Alexander Saulenko, head of the city and district administration, told reporters «We have started work on preparations for the referendum quite actively: five headquarters have been opened together with Russia in the city, and seven in the region. Residents of the city and the region really want to live in Russia and have Russian citizenship,» Saulenko said during a press tour , organized by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. During the special operation, the Russian military took control of the Azov part of the Zaporozhye region and the entire Kherson region, occupying such large cities as Kherson, Melitopol and Berdyansk, and cutting off Ukraine from the Sea of Azov. New administrations have been formed in both regions, Russian TV channels and radio stations are broadcasting, trade and transport links with Crimea are being restored. The regions have announced plans to become part of Russia.
About 2.5 thousand residents of Berdyansk have received Russian passports since June 12
