SOCHI, November 8. /TASS/. Residents of Donbass and Novorossia had the right to proclaim their independence from Ukraine on the basis of the UN Charter, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Thursday’s plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club.

"In accordance with Article 1 of the UN Charter, all peoples have the right for self-determination. Residents of Crimea, and southeastern Ukraine disagreed with the state coup - which is an illegitimate and an anti-constitutional act - and they have the right for self-determination," Putin said.

He referred to a ruling by the UN International Court of Justice, which established in connection with the Kosovo precedent that a territory that proclaims independence does not have to ask permission from the government of the country it is currently a part of.