Separatist leader demands referendum on DPR joining Russia after war ends

The Russia-backed leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said Thursday that a decision on a referendum for his region to join Russia will take place after the war in Ukraine ends.

“A decision on a referendum on the DPR joining Russia will be made after the special military operation is completed,” Denis Pushilin told Russian state media RIA Novosti, adding that the Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine would be complete “by the end of the year.”

“Ukraine as a state may simply not exist in the foreseeable future,” he said.

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Russia recognized the DPR as an independent state just before it launched an offensive in Ukraine on February 24.

According to Pushilin, DPR fighters will not stop at the borders of Donetsk, which is still largely controlled by Ukrainian forces.

“The West’s supplies of new weapons to Ukraine are forcing DPR troops not to stop at the borders of the Donetsk Republic,” he said.

Last week, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations insisted that capturing the Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk) remained his country’s objective.

“The liberation of Donbas was the primary goal, which is being implemented at the moment,” Vasily Nebenzya told the BBC.

In a press conference Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “sure that if Ukraine is not strong enough, they will go further” beyond the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 

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The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for nearly four months with both sides losing several military forces. Millions of people have been displaced since the invasion. 

Zelensky has been demanding more weapons from his allies in the West as the war has already exhausted most of Ukraine’s Soviet-era arsenal. 

On Wednesday, the US announced that it will send Ukraine another $1 billion in weapons to fight Russia. The package would including Harpoon anti-ship launchers for the first time, and more ammunition for high-tech, medium-range rocket launchers. The Biden administration said that the aid will include two Harpoon launchers and an unspecified number of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, rockets for previously committed M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in Brussels.

“When you’re in the fight, you can never get enough, and you can never get it quick enough,” Austin said at a press conference with Milley. “But having said all that, we’re going to work hard to make sure we’re doing everything humanly possible ― we’re going to continue to move heaven and earth to get them the capability that they need.”