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CIS partners understand objective reality of Russia’s enlargement — Lavrov

When answering the question whether Astana discussed the accession of the respective territories to Russia based on the results of the referendums, Russian Foreign Minister said that Moscow had informed all partners during the preparations for the vote and the plebiscites

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, October 15. /TASS/. Russia's partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) understand the objective reality of the Donetsk and the Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions becoming part of the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Channel One on the sidelines of the CIS summit held in Astana.

When answering the question whether Astana discussed the accession of the respective territories to Russia based on the results of the referendums, the top diplomat said that Moscow had informed all partners during the preparations for the vote and the plebiscites. "No questions were asked. Everyone understands that this is an objective reality," Lavrov said in a commentary published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website.

Referendums on becoming part of Russia were held in the Donetsk and the Lugansk People's Republics, as well as in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions from September 23 to 27. The overwhelming majority of the population voted in favor of becoming a part of Russia. The ceremony of signing agreements on the regions' accession to the Russian Federation was held on September 30 in the Grand Kremlin Palace’s St. George Hall. On October 4, Putin signed laws on the ratification of treaties on the accession of the abovementioned terrritories to Russia.

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