Ukraine Kherson Pro-Russian Government, "Will Request President Putin to Merge with Russia"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The pro-Russian government in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, occupied by Russian forces, has officially announced that it will request territorial annexation by Russia. It also stated that Russian passports will be issued to residents who wish to receive them within this year, indicating that preliminary steps such as a referendum for annexation are expected to be implemented swiftly.

According to TASS news agency on the 11th (local time), Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the newly established pro-Russian Kherson Civil-Military Administration, held a press conference and said, "We will request President Vladimir Putin of Russia to accept Kherson Oblast as a full member of the Russian Federation, and a decision will be made based on this." He added, "The next step is to issue Russian passports to all who wish to receive them. This should be possible within this year," but clarified, "However, obtaining a Russian passport is not mandatory and is optional."

Previously, Ukrainian intelligence authorities warned that Russia was showing signs of attempting to annex Kherson, but this is the first time the pro-Russian government within Kherson has officially announced annexation plans. In the Donbas region, controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces, annexation plans with Russia were announced earlier in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Regarding the Kherson pro-Russian government's announcement of annexation plans, the Kremlin stated in a comment, "Such a decision requires clear legal grounds, as was the case with Crimea in the past." Accordingly, a referendum for annexation with Russia is expected to be held soon in Kherson.

Kherson is a strategic location situated on the route connecting Crimea Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, to the Ukrainian mainland and the eastern Donbas region. All electricity and drinking water for Crimea come from Kherson, so Russia focused its offensive on Kherson from the beginning of the war and was the first among major cities to be occupied. Immediately after the occupation, Russian forces established a pro-Russian civil-military administration in Kherson.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.