LIVE UPDATES: Accession of Lugansk to Russia May Happen Within Week, Envoy Says

The Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) can become part of Russia as a republic, LPR Ambassador to Russia Rodion Miroshnik said in an interview with Sputnik.

"I think that we will be admitted to the Russian Federation as a republic, and the rest of the details, how they will be regulated, what rights, what duties our republic will have, leadership, power, system of power - these will be described in legislative documents to be adopted in the very near future," Miroshnik said.

"We will be endowed with certain autonomous rights. What exactly - everything will be described in the law," he said.

The accession of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) to Russia should take place within a week, the LPR envoy to Russia has told Sputnik.

LPR leader Leonid Pasechnik said on Wednesday that he had signed an appeal addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the republic's accession as a new subject of Russia.

"I think this should happen within a week. The rest of the parameters of the integration will be discussed within the framework of the adopted laws and decision," Rodion Miroshnik said.

"The main thing has already happened, the referendum has taken place. Next, we need to fully comply with all the parameters required by the legal system of the Russian Federation, and we must do everything absolutely impeccable," Miroshnik said, adding that the process "has already started and it can hardly be stopped... We are right at the finish line, and we will pass it, for sure."

US-provided long-range weapons in Ukraine are only for use on Ukrainian territory, and land "annexed" by Russia will still be considered Ukrainian territory, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday.

"We have been clear, when it comes to certain longer range systems, with our Ukrainian partners that these systems are for use on sovereign Ukrainian territory," Price said during a press briefing. "If and when this annexation occurs, as we expect it will, these areas will remain sovereign Ukrainian territory."

Price, when pressed if the State Department would object to Ukraine using US-provided long range weapons to attack Crimea, said the United States does not select targets for Ukraine. He added that Crimea is "not Russia."

The United States is pledging an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including the provision of 18 new mobile artillery systems known as HIMARS, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday.

“Today, the United States is announcing an additional $1.1 billion package of weapons and equipment for Ukraine through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. This includes 18 new high mobility artillery rocket systems, also known as HIMARS, which Ukraine has used so effectively on the battlefield,” Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing.

The package will also include armored vehicles, radar and counter-drone systems, Jean-Pierre added.

"After the referendum and the announcement of its results, we consider ourselves an independent state," regional government chairman Sergey Eliseev said.

Ukrainian troops launched a missile attack on the center of Kherson, destroyed one of the buildings of the Polytechnic University, there are casualties, a spokesperson for emergency services told reporters.

"The educational institution was shelled, there are playgrounds nearby. [It happened at] the time when people return after work, people with children are walking," he said.

As a result of the shelling, the victims receive medical care in the city's hospitals.

When further asked to answer by "yes" or "no" as to whether the price has been set, Rosenberg said, "We are in the process, senator, of dong so."

When asked whether there will be sanctions or penalties on the participating countries and entities that will not comply with the oil price cap, Rosenberg stated, "Yes."

The official also said that there were no preconditions to assume that a rapid drop in pressure in one of the segments of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline had been caused by natural causes.

Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated on Wednesday that the bloc is preparing legislative framework that allows introducing restrictions on Russian oil prices. She also proposed banning EU citizens from holding senior positions in Russian state-owned companies.