In this handout photo released by the State Duma, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Press Service, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, foreground center, addresses deputies during a session at the State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian Parliament, in Moscow, Russia, Oct 3, 2022. (THE STATE DUMA, THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESS SERVICE VIA AP)
MOSCOW – Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, ratified agreements on the accession of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson to Russia, it said on Monday in a statement.
Members of the State Duma unanimously voted in favor of the legislation.
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The accession to Russia is a way to protect the rights of the people living in these territories, Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the State Duma, said in a Telegram post following the vote.
He stressed that "the goals and objectives of the special military operation have been defined, they will be achieved without fail."
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A ceremony was held on Friday for the signing of treaties to incorporate Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson into the Russian Federation.
source https://netdace.com/latest-news/state-duma-ratifies-accession-of-4-ukrainian-regions-to-russia/