ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 22. /TASS/. Over 20,000 residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) crossed the Russian border in the Rostov Region in the past 24 hours, the regional Border Guard Department of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reported on Tuesday.

It was reported on February 21 that about 21,000 Donbass residents crossed the Russian border in the past 24 hours.

"The Border Guard Department of the FSB of Russia for the Rostov Region informs that over 20,000 citizens evacuated from the territory of the Donbass republics crossed the border at checkpoints in the past 24 hours," the statement says.

LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin announced plans on February 18 to evacuate the republics’ civilians into Russia, in particular, into the Rostov Region, over the mounting threat of hostilities. Later, some other Russian regions accommodated people arriving from Donbass.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders.