President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov has written on his Telegram channel that he personally congratulated the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin on the long-awaited event.
"I personally congratulated Denis Pushilin on a long-awaited and such an important event for all of us! The people of South Ossetia remember well what war is and how important a helping hand is in difficult times. Russia does not abandon its own!", - has written the head of state, who is in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The texts of the decrees were published on Tuesday on the official Internet portal of legal information.
"Given the will of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic, Ukraine's refusal to peacefully resolve the conflict in accordance with the Minsk agreements, recognize the Donetsk People's Republic as a sovereign and independent state," the decree reads.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation is to hold talks with the Donetsk Party on the establishment of diplomatic relations and formalize the agreement reached with the relevant documents," the document has emphasized.
"Instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to hold negotiations with the Donetsk Party with the participation of interested federal executive authorities on the preparation of a draft treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance and submit a proposal for its signing in the prescribed manner," the message says.
"In connection with the appeal of the head of the Donetsk People's Republic to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, until the conclusion of the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 of this Decree, the implementation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic of peacekeeping functions," the document says.
"Given the will of the people of the Lugansk People's Republic, Ukraine's refusal to peacefully resolve the conflict in accordance with the Minsk agreements, recognize the Luhansk People's Republic as a sovereign and independent state," the decree says.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation should conduct negotiations with the Luhansk Party on the establishment of diplomatic relations and formalize the agreement reached with the relevant documents," the document says.
"Instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to hold negotiations with the Luhansk Party with the participation of interested federal executive authorities on the preparation of a draft treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance and submit a proposal for its signing in the prescribed manner," the decree has emphasizesd
"In connection with the appeal of the head of the Luhansk People's Republic to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, until the conclusion of the agreement referred to in paragraph 3 of this Decree, the implementation of peacekeeping functions by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic " the decree has emphasized.
These decrees come into force from the date of their signing.
