Over 15,500 Donbass residents crossed the border with Russia

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Sep.20, (ST)-More than 15,500 Donbass residents have crossed the border with Russia in the Rostov Region over the past day, the press service of the FSB’s regional border directorate reported on Tuesday.

“Over the past 24 hours, in order to enter Russia through the checkpoints located in the Rostov Region, the border was crossed by more than 15,500 residents,” the statement said.

The situation at the Donbass engagement line flared up on February 17. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian armed forces over the past months. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual aid were signed with their leaders. On February 22, the State Duma and the Federation Council ratified both documents and the Russian leader signed the respective laws on the same day. Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people “who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.”

Source: TASS