MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. The People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR) need Russia’s support more than ever, the LDPR faction at the State Duma (the lower house of Russia’s parliament) said in a statement published in its Telegram channel on Friday.

"At these moments hundreds of thousands of Russian inhabitants of Donbass are at risk of being annihilated by the Ukrainian military, instigated by Western patrons. To this end are all the signals. Donetsk and Lugansk need our support and protection more than ever," the statement says.