Sputnik's Chief Editor Margarita Simonyan has commented on the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) Civic Chamber's call to hold a referendum to join Russia, calling it an "all-in move" and a Crimean scenario. She noted that should the republic vote affirmatively, it will drastically change the nature of the conflict in Ukraine.
"Today it's referendum, tomorrow – it's recognition of LPR as a part of Russia. The day after that, the strikes on the Russian territory become an all-out war of Ukraine and NATO with Russia, which will untie Moscow's hands in so many aspects," Simonyan wrote in her Telegram channel.
Simonyan expressed the opinion that the LPR might soon be not the only ones to announce referendums to join Russia.
The head of the LPR Civic Chamber commented in the wake of the address to the republic's authorities that the referendum on joining Russia is a "matter of more than one day". He, however, expressed hope that the answer will be given soon.
19 September 2022, 13:56 GMT
The LPR declared its independence in 2014 in response to the West-backed coup in Kiev that brought nationalist politicians to power. Russia agreed to recognize the LPR's statehood in February 2022, signing a treaty of friendship with the republic. Soon after, Moscow answered the call of LPR authorities to protect it against the attacks of the Ukrainian military, which have been going on with varying intensity over the past eight years.