Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Lugansk People’s Republic, LPR Hero Alexey Karyakin elaborated on the LPR’s integration into the Russian Federation in an interview with the Lugansk Mass Media.
Q: The LPR accession to Russia and complete integration: how long will full integration, the transitional period, take?
- Integration processes began in 2014. As of this moment, the Republic is adapted to the Russian environment. The announced date - 2026 - has a margin. We’ll undoubtedly be able to integrate into the legal system and civil society much sooner.
Q: Will the authorities keep the people’s militias and in what form?
- The term “people’s militia” was merely used for the sake of the Minsk Agreements. They stated that the new entities, the LPR and the DPR, would not establish the Defense Ministry. Consequently, a decision was made to establish the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic. As the Minsk Agreements no longer exist and the LRP is a Russian region, it follows that the People’s Militia is a division of the Russian Defense Ministry.
Q: What will happen to the name, coat-of-arms, flag and the hryvna?
- The hryvna will be completely taken out of circulation. We joined the Russian Federation and the LPR was entered into the Constitution, consequently, the symbols remain intact and will proudly represent our territory internationally.
Q: How long will it take to produce the Constitution?
- The Constitution was initially passed with the possibility to adapt it to the Russian law. In the near future, amendments will be introduced for its full merger with the norms and requirements of the Russian law.
Q: When will the elections take place? Senators and deputies: when and who will be appointed? When will the branches of power be finalized? How will the elections be arranged?
- Under the Russian law, the elections will take place on the single voting day, i.e. September 23, 2023.
Q: How will the LPR build relations with the countries which recognized its sovereignty, and other countries which have agreements with Russia?
- We are interacting even now; we’re working out ways of cooperation. I’m sure that interaction with Russia’s partner states is one of the ways to make the whole world see that the Republic has succeeded and is now a part of the Russian Federation. Interaction with Russia implies interaction with the LPR.
Q: When all residents get Russian passports?
- The Federal Migration Service is opening its offices, and I’m confident that after they have organized their work, the people who did not obtain Russian passports and those who live in de-occupied territories will soon be able to get the document confirming the proud title of the Russian citizen.
Q: Will the LPR carry out nationalization as did the DPR?
- I’m afraid I’m not authorized to give an unequivocal answer to this question. My personal opinion is that hardcore nationalists must be condemned for their crimes against Donbass residents. One has to find out on what grounds they possess property. After an inquiry, it can be nationalized and added to the Republic’s pool. But this decision can only be made by the court.
Q: Will the LPR keep the crossing points on the border and for how long?
- The crossing points currently have a nominal function. They record the internal movement of Russian citizens and guests. The Krasnodar and Stavropol territories operate such facilities at entry points. Given the fact that there are many unwelcome elements in our territory for the Big Russia, the crossing points will continue to operate preventing the delivery of banned items.
Q: How will the economy develop after accession to Russia, how will the budget be formed?
- We see Russia making maximum effort to launch enterprises, so we certainly can say that accession to Russia will have a positive effect on the Republic’s economy. Budget formation and allocation is handled by the Republic’s government.
Q: How serious is the problem of pro-Ukrainian population in the liberated areas and how big a threat is it?
- People are duped. We need to conduct outreach to explain and dispel their misperceptions. How dangerous is it? Regrettably, people, without thinking about consequences, pass certain data to former employers or personnel who contact them and threaten them into passing the information they want. People are beginning to see and understand that Ukraine had actually given them nothing. Of course, they can compare it with what Russia is giving. It has a very sobering effect. Those who are trying to resist the development of the region as a part of Russia will be deal with by security services.
Q: Is there a possibility of the emergence of a pro-Ukrainian underground organization and war of terror against Russia and liberated areas, along the lines of the underground Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists in the first post-war years?
- This possibility cannot be ruled out. I would like to note that the cessation of hostilities in this or that area does not necessarily stop the fighting completely. The terrorist threat remains, and periodically will reveal itself. This is what secret services are for: to expose and prevent these situations keeping people calm, and, most importantly, preserving their lives.
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On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression. Prior to that, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin asked the Russian leader to provide military assistance. The LPR militia and Russian armed forces fully liberated the LPR territory from Ukrainian armed formations on July 3.
The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. The peace talks that began soon thereafter failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.
The Lugansk People’s Republic became a part of Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum.*i*v
