Russia can help Donbass with funds, personnel, building materials, technologies. The country has accumulated a significant amount of the National Welfare Fund. This was announced on Monday, February 21, by the first deputy head of the budget committee of the Federation Council, Sergei Ryabukhin, to RIA Novosti.
“The Russian budget for 2022-2024 has a powerful reserve of stability and balance. The hydrocarbon market environment also provides income. This gives good confidence that the budget will be executed with a surplus. In addition, a very serious amount of the National Welfare Fund has been accumulated,” the senator noted.
In his opinion, the Russian Federation will have enough financial resources to provide financial assistance to the Donbass.
“If there are contractual relations with the DPR and LPR, cooperation has been established, it will be necessary to restore the infrastructure,” Ryabukhin added.
It will be necessary to allocate approximately 0.5 trillion rubles over three years to restore the infrastructure of the republics, the senator said. These funds can go through the budget or public-private partnerships.
“Based on the needs to restore the infrastructure of the DPR and LPR, about 0.5 trillion rubles will be required annually for three years,” the politician said.
According to Ryabukhin, after the recognition of the independence of the DPR and LPR, the main goal will be to protect the border between Donbass and Ukraine.
“The main task is to protect the border between the DPR and LPR with Ukraine, to prevent an attack,” the parliamentarian said.
Earlier on the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. In addition, the Russian leader, as well as the heads of the republics Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin, signed an agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance.
The Russian leader congratulated the heads of the DPR and LPR on the signing of the agreement and expressed confidence in the support of the Russians for the recognition of the republics of Donbass. Putin also noted that the situation in the region has become critical.
On February 21, Putin held an extraordinary meeting of the Russian Security Council, during which its members unanimously called for recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
The situation on the line of contact in Donbass escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported heavy shelling by Ukrainian security forces, including with heavy weapons. At the same time, Kiev announced the shelling of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On February 21, the LPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire reported 16 violations of the ceasefire in the republic by Ukrainian security forces. On the same day, it became known that the armed forces of Ukraine fired at the village of Staromikhaylovka with shells prohibited under the Minsk agreements.
Since 2014, the Ukrainian authorities have been conducting a military operation against the inhabitants of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup d’état and the new government in Ukraine. At the same time, Kiev blames Moscow for the current situation. Russia has repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the intra-Ukrainian conflict. The issues of its settlement are being discussed in the Minsk and Normandy formats.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
