The servicemen of the Lugansk People’s Republic and Russian armed forces who are fighting together on the frontlines are one army, LPR parliament speaker, secretary of the regional branch of the all-Russia political party “United Russia” Denis Miroshnichenko said at a press conference in Lugansk.
Miroshnichenko said that the transitional period for the LPR would last until 2026. By that time, all government bodies have to adapt to operation in the Russian legal environment.
“As for the status of the People’s Militia, <...>that they are going through the traditional period is clear <...> Let’s be frank: de facto, if not de jure, we’re already one army if we are shoulder to shoulder,” he said. “Today, we actually represent the Russian army together.”
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.*i*ie
