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Duma to support Donbass residents if they decide to join Russia — speaker

"If, in a direct expression of will, the Donbass residents say that they want to be part of Russia, we will support them. And they must understand that we expect them to express their will freely," Vyacheslav Volodin said

MOSCOW, September 20. /TASS/. The State Duma will support residents of the Donbass republics if they vote for accession to Russia, Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said during a general session on Tuesday.

"If, in a direct expression of will, they (the Donbass residents - TASS) say that they want to be part of Russia, we will support them. And they must understand that we expect them to express their will freely," he said.

On Monday, the Civic Chamber of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) addressed LPR leader Leonid Pasechnik urging him to immediately hold a referendum on recognizing the republic as a Russian entity. Later, the Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) Civic Chamber addressed DPR head Denis Pushilin and the republic’s People’s Council (parliament) with a similar request.

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