[아이뉴스24 고정삼 기자] After Russia invaded Ukraine, it formalized plans to annex the occupied southern Kherson Oblast into its territory.
The plan was reported on the 7th (local time) by the state-run Sputnik news agency, citing a senior Russian official who governs the Kherson region.
Kherson is a strategic point located on the road from Crimea annexed by Russia in 2014 to inland Ukraine and the eastern Donbas region.
“We plan to live as part of the Russian Federation, and in terms of the pace of development it will be similar to Crimea,” said Kirill Stremuzov, deputy head of the joint government of the Kherson provincial civilian army. We have to go back to our original culture and values,” he said.
Russian ruling party politicians also mentioned the annexation plan. This is the first time that a high-ranking Russian official has officially announced its intention to annex Kherson.
According to the TAS news agency on the 6th, Andrei Turchak, secretary of the General Assembly of the United Russia Party and vice-chairman of the Senate, visited Kherson on the same day and said, “Russia has been here forever, and there can be no doubt regarding it.” “A return to the past.” will not exist, and we will live together and advance this prosperous state.”
/ Reporter Ko Jeong-sam(jsk@inews24.com)<!–
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