The 1st Donetsk and 2nd Guards Lugansk-Severodonetsk Corps have been included in the Russian armed forces, Russia’s TASS news agency said referring to the Defense Ministry reports on President Vladimir Putin presenting the battle colors to these military formations. The ceremony took place at the Southern Military District Headquarters in Rostov-on-Don on December 31, 2022.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Donbass operation was among the most important ones during the Great Patriotic War.
“Today, following in the footsteps of Great Patriotic War fighters, the servicemen of the 1st and 2nd Army Corps fight for their native land against the neo-Nazis showing courage and steadfastness and handling their tasks with confidence step by step. The war experience gained over eight years proves that the formations that joined the Russian armed forces are battle-worthy,” the Defense Ministry said.
The Colors have been regarded as sacred symbols of honor, valor and glory since ancient times, it said.
Earlier, LPR parliament speaker Denis Miroshnichenko said that the servicemen of the Lugansk People’s Republic and Russian armed forces who fighting together on the frontlines were one army.
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.
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 Lugansk People’s Republic became a part of Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum. The transition period for the LPR to integrate into Russia’s economic, financial, legal and government bodies system and settle the military service issues will last until January 1, 2026. *i*ie
