Since 2014, Severodonetsk has been the administrative center of the part of the Lugansk region that remained under the control of Ukraine. For this reason, the armed formations of Ukraine (VFU) defended it for a long time and stubbornly. The city was liberated in July, and during the fighting it was heavily destroyed, Izvestia’s military commander Bogdan Stepovoy recalled.
Until now, artillery cannonade is clearly audible a few kilometers from the city. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) are beating. In front of the city, at a checkpoint, the fighters slow down all the cars, check the trunks, and ask to see documents.
Severodonetsk meets with dilapidated nine-story buildings. A burned-out Ukrainian tank froze in the arch of one of them. In the yards, small brick stoves smoke, on which there are smoked pots and teapots – this is the townspeople preparing hot food. There is still no electricity or gas here.
Polling station No. 2704 operates in one of the city’s Houses of Culture. There is a small queue in front of it – 15-20 people. People are initially reluctant to engage in conversation. Finally, the old woman can’t stand it.
“In our city, 95% of the residents are in favor of returning to Russia. There is no error here. We have been waiting for this day for eight years, and we hoped that you would come,” said Baba Lyuda.
After this phrase, the alienation disappears. The townspeople standing in line support – they say they will vote for joining Russia. One woman confesses that her two nephews serve in the LPR army. Several pensioners add how, since 2014, in their city they have felt themselves second-class, “quilted jackets”, “separas” and “colorados”. So why, they say, should we go back?
In Severodonetsk, people see that large-scale work is underway on water supply networks, electricity networks, gas pipelines, and they hope for the best. Residents polled by Izvestia have no doubts about the results of the referendum. They believe that returning to Russia will restore historical justice.
Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:
“We have been waiting for this day for eight years”
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