Leader of "LPR" militia now talking about a referendum on joining Russia

IRYNA BALACHUK — SUNDAY, 27 MARCH, 2022, 11:51

Leonid Pasechnik, leader of the self-proclaimed "Luhansk People's Republic (LPR)", said that a referendum on joining Russia could be held on the territory of the "LPR" in the near future.

Source: Russian edition of TASS with reference to Pasechnik

Quote: "A referendum on joining Russia may take place in the Luhansk People's Republic in the near future."

For reference: 

Russia occupied Ukrainian Crimea in 2014, holding a pseudo-referendum on the peninsula.

According to Ukrainian law, all-Ukrainian and local referendums are prohibited under martial law.

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) imposed martial law in Ukraine on 24 February after the Russian attack. On 15 March, the Verkhovna Rada extended the martial law until 25 April.

Background: 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the final format of compromises on security guarantees and temporarily occupied territories in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia could be put to an all-Ukrainian referendum.

Russia is demanding that Ukraine abandon its course towards NATO, recognise Crimea as Russian, and recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as the independent "DNR" and "LNR". In addition, the Kremlin is demanding the "de-Nazification" and disarmament of Ukraine.