The former president of Russia had a meeting with separatist leaders, asking them to strengthen their ties with Moscow.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, accompanied by his country’s top officials, traveled to the breakaway region of Donbas in eastern Ukraine today, asking separatist leaders to strengthen ties with Moscow.
It is the largest delegation Moscow has sent to eastern Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
In a message he posted on Telegram, Medvedev states that he “held talks on the measures that must be taken as a priority for the security of the Donbas “Democracies”, at the behest of (Russian) President” Vladimir Putin.
“Particular attention was paid to the harmonization of the legislation” of the separatist regions with that of Russia, as well as to the repair of infrastructure and the preparation of schools for the start of the new school year, he added.
Dmitry Medvedev was accompanied, among others, by one of Putin’s top advisers, Sergei Kiriyenko, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov.
Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and then as prime minister from 2012 to 2020, is currently the vice-chairman of Russia’s Security Council.
Today he met with Luhansk separatist leader Leonid Pasetsnik and Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin. Russia has recognized the independence of the two “People’s Republics”, something the international community has not done.
Medvedev’s visit comes at a time of growing concern that Moscow is preparing to annex large parts of Ukraine. The separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine are openly calling for their integration into the Russian Federation, and the pro-Russian occupation administrations in the Ukrainian south are preparing to hold referendums.
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