Putin signs laws admitting four new regions to Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed four federal constitutional laws on the accession of the Donetsk and the Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and the Kherson Regions to Russia, according to relevant documents that were published on Wednesday.

Under the laws, residents of the new regions are considered Russian nationals from the date when the territories were admitted to Russia - September 30. Those who wish to renounce their Russian citizenship, though, have a month to apply to do so.

One can obtain Russian citizenship after having taken the oath of allegiance, provided a relevant request has been filed beforehand.

According to the documents, the DPR and LPR within Russia will retain the status of republics and their former names, and Russian will be the state language. The Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions will also be included in the Russian Federation as separate entities: they will remain regions.

According to the laws, there will be a transition period from the day the new regions were included in Russia until January 1, 2026. 

The same politicians who headed the regions prior to their accession to Russia have retained their posts. Denis Pushilin became acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). Leonid Pasechnik is now acting head of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR).

Yevgeny Balitsky, who headed the Zaporozhye Region’s military-civilian administration, will be the region’s acting governor. And Vladimir Saldo, previously the head of the Kherson Region’s military-civilian administration, became the region’s acting governor.