Amid Ukraine war, separatist leader in Luhansk claims referendum to join Russia soon

A separatist leader in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine on Sunday said that a referendum may soon be held regarding the separatist regions joining Russia. The announcement comes just days after the Russian-backed Luhansk People's Republic militia in the eastern flank of Donbass, took control of the government facilities in the Rubizhne city. People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) announced on the Telegram channel that "the flag of the (LPR) is flying here now. This means for the local residents that, if the war has not ended yet, then it is in its final stages.” 

Notably, Luhansk is one of two rebel territories backed by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to be declared as an independent nation. Prior to the invasion, the parts of both the regions were are controlled by Ukraine whereas the pro-Moscow rebels and the Russian forces have been able to seize the territories that have been pivotal to the latest escalation of the war in Ukraine. Putin had recognized the independence of two breakaway regions and had ordered military forces to deploy. The two territories have been a major issue of discord between Russian-backed separatists and Ukraine forces with decades of intense fighting before the Russian leader announced his so-called "peacekeeping functions" in the region. 

Unrest in Donbass since 2013

It is pertinent to mention here that the unrest in the oblast of Donbass has been simmering since 2013 as the then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Russian politician who was overthrown by a west backed coup, had refused to sign an agreement with the European Union. A huge movement erupted in Ukraine pressurizing Yanukovych to resign and take refuge in neighbouring Russian ally Belarus. A referendum signed then had resulted in 97% of voters choosing to join Russia.

Ceasefire violations and repeated clashes were witnessed between the pro-Russian rebels in Donbas and Ukrainian military forces, with over 40,000 Russian troops stationed in the region. In 2014, Ukraine's interim President Alexander Turchinov had announced that Kyiv had officially lost control of the eastern part leading to tensions between the Ukrainian government and the self-described Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. 

As Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the regional administrator of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, told the local press that troops were carrying out heavy shelling in the main area of Rubizhne. "The enemy is simply destroying all the cities," Haidai stated in a video uploaded to his Telegram channel. Russian military demolished a boarding school for visually challenged children, hospitals, and other military buildings in the region. Moscow had then declared a no-fly zone above Ukraine's Donbass area, a rebel spokesperson from the Russian-backed separatists Donetsk People's Republic had announced on Telegram.

As the war ensues, a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians was also established in Ukraine's Luhansk region. Luhansk Regional State Administration chief Serhiy Gaidai informed that civilians were being evacuated via the humanitarian corridor in buses that departed from Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna, and Lysychansk. An evacuation train from Novozolotarivka was also operated for safe evacuations.