Putin Approves Ratification of Treaties to Admit New Regions to Russia

The treaties were signed in Moscow on September 30. They stipulate the establishment of the new regions’ borders. The borders of the republics and the regions will be defined by the borders of territories, which "existed on the day of their establishment and accession to Russia," the document reads, TASS reported.

Until the heads of the new regions are elected according to Russian law, they will be governed by acting heads, who will be appointed by Putin. Regional parliamentary elections will be held on the Single Voting Day in September, 2023.

The new regions will be integrated during a transitional period to last until 2026. Prior to 2023, the Ukrainian hryvnia will be allowed for cash and non-cash payments, after which the Russian ruble will be the sole currency there. The armed forces of the new regions (available in the Donetsk and the Lugansk People’s Republics) are supposed to become part of Russia’s armed forces, while legislative norms running counter to the Russian Constitution, including capital punishment, will not be applied.

On Sunday, Putin submitted draft federal constitutional laws on admitting the new regions to Russia as well as ratification agreements to the State Duma. Later that day, the country’s Constitutional Court approved those documents.

On Friday, Putin and the heads of the four regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia at a Kremlin-hosted ceremony. Earlier, those regions held referendums where the overwhelming majority of voters opted for joining Russia.

Kiev and its Western allies say Russia's attempted annexation is an illegal land grab and will never be recognized with Ukraine saying its army will recapture any territory occupied by Russian forces.