October 4,2022
1. The Federation Council has approved agreements with four former Ukrainian regions on accepting them as new Russian territories
On October 4, 2022, the Federation Council (the Senate), upper house of the Russian Parliament, has also ratified four treaties on accession of four new territories to Russia. The decisions were approved unanimously.
The Kiev regime became alien and hostile to all Ukrainian residents with an affinity for Russia and the Russian society, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a plenary session of the Federation Council on October 4.
"The [Kiev] regime has long become alien and hostile to all Ukrainian residents who cannot imagine their life without connectedness with the Russian civilization and whom president Zelensky demanded to clear out to Russia already a year ago," the Russian top diplomat said. "It is completely obvious that this regime does not and cannot represent the millions of citizens against whom it unleashed a war," Lavrov added.
In his words, Russia could not but come to the aid of the long-suffering population of Donbass and defend the residents of Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions from current Ukrainian “inhuman regime”.
According to approved laws, the residents of the new constituent entities are recognized as Russian citizens starting on September 30, the day the regions joined Russia, but they have a month to accept or reject Russian citizenship. The documents specify that the residents of the new regions can acquire Russian citizenship by submitting applications and being sworn in as Russian citizens.
According to the documents, the DPR and the LPR will retain their status as republics after joining Russia and Russian will be their official language. The Kherson and Zaporozhye regions will also join Russia as constituent entities and will continue to be called "regions."
The borders of the republics and regions will be the same as those that "existed on the day of their creation and accession into Russia." International accords specify that their borders with other countries will be regarded as Russia’s state borders. At the same time, under the constitutional laws, the DPR and the LPR are joining Russia under the 2014 borders enshrined in their constitutions.
A transition period will last between the day of the new regions’ accession to Russia until January 1, 2026. In particular, Russian citizens residing in the DPR, the LPR, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions will be guaranteed the right to work. In addition, documents on their education and civil status, as well as on their length of employment and the right to obtain pensions and social and medical aid, will be recognized. Branches of federal government agencies will be set up in the new republics and regions by June 1, 2023.
The Russian ruble will become the only currency used in the DPR, the LPR, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions on January 1, 2023, but the use of the Ukrainian grivna (hryvnia) will be permitted until the end of 2022. Besides, the new constituent entities will implement Russia’s budget legislation on January 1, 2023, while their budgets will be approved by December 15, 2022.
2. Defense Minister Shoigu: more than 200,000 people have joined the Armed Forces
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on October 4 in Moscow: "As of today, more than 200,000 people have arrived in the [Russian] Armed Forces. I have been instructed to provide everyone with the necessary clothing sets and other equipment. Assign them to their positions. The personnel of formed units are being trained at 80 firing ranges and six training centers. Soldiers shall be sent to the battlefields after the training and combat interoperabilithy.”
He also noted that during the partial mobilization a large number of volunteers come to the military registration and enlistment offices. In his words It is extremely important to approach each such request with care - not to refuse anyone unless there are serious reasons for doing so.
3. Russia will not use NW in Ukraine
Speaking to reporters on October 4, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said that governors and heads of regions in Russia have the right to express their personal opinion and to “give assessments” on issues. That, however, does not mean officials can give free rein to their emotions, “even in difficult times,” he continued.
The Kremlin spokesman said that in Russia, the use of nuclear weapons (NW) is based on what is laid down in the respective Russian military doctrine that prohibits to use NW as the first-strike weapon, but only in response. “There can be no other considerations here,” he added.
The latest version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine, published in 2020, states that Moscow reserves the right to use nuclear weapons only if WMD are used or when conventional weapons are employed against Russia that can create a threat for the very existence of the Russian state.
Currently, the third Ukrainian armed aggression against Donbass and Russia does constitute any threat for the very existence of the Russian state. As to NW, Kiev issued its clear-cut warnings to use ‘dirty nuclear bombs’ versus Russia and Donbass, and even asked the Western nuclear nations and Israel to share NW with Kiev.
4. Zelensky excluded any chance to talk with Putin
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has invoked a decree of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine on the impossibility of holding negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a decree published on the official website of the Ukrainian president’s office on October 4.
"To acknowledge the impossibility of holding negotiations with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin," the document reads.
Written by Vladimir P. Kozin
