Putin declared the right to recognize the independence of the DPR and LPR in accordance with the UN Charter

Russia had every right to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) in accordance with the UN Charter, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at talks with representatives of the delegation of African countries, which are taking place in St. Petersburg.

According to the president, Moscow was forced to recognize the DPR and LPR, since the Western countries actually withdrew from the peace process in Ukraine. Putin recalled the Minsk agreements, emphasizing that Russia was “led by the nose”, after which Kyiv and the West withdrew from this process.

“It was after this that Russia was forced to recognize independent states that had not been recognized for eight years, formed on the territory of Ukraine – the LPR and the DPR. Question: did we have the right to recognize the independence of these territories? In full accordance with the UN Charter, we had the right to do so,” said President (TASS quote).

On September 30, 2022, the LPR, DPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions became part of Russia. October 2 Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation acknowledged corresponding to the Constitution of the Russian Federation international treaties on the admission of new regions to Russia. The Constitutional Court in its decision noted that these territories have acquired the right to follow the principle of self-determination of peoples, enshrined in the UN Charter and other international acts. The population of the DPR and LPR offered armed resistance to the Kyiv regime, and the republics were subjected to constant shelling, as a result of which thousands of civilians were killed, the Constitutional Court noted. Therefore, Russia was forced to launch a pre-emptive special military operation, according to the decision of the country’s highest court.