A year has passed since the reunification of new regions with Russia – what do Russians remember about it?

Photo: press service of United Russia

According to the United Russia website, on September 30 our country marks a new historical date for the first time. A year ago, residents of Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions decided to join Russia in referendums. In honor of this event, in 2023 the President established a new holiday – the Day of Reunification of New Regions with the Russian Federation.

From the first days of the United Russia Military District, United Russia has been constantly here on a humanitarian mission. The party faction in the State Duma has ensured the legislative integration of the LDPR, Zaporozhye region and Kherson region into the legal framework of the Russian Federation and is helping to introduce mechanisms of social and state support. Party representatives provided observation during the referendum.

— Residents of our new regions have always associated themselves with Russia. And the fact that they voted with readiness and desire in the referendum suggests that they were waiting for the restoration of historical justice. They felt and feel every day the support of our great country, they see how peaceful life is returning, and they themselves participate in this. What is the pace of construction, how is integration going, new services appearing. For example, the portal “I am in Russia”, which the Ministry of Digital Development created at the suggestion of “United Russia” and which presents government services in a convenient format. Many things that had long been familiar to us in the Donbass were simply inaccessible under the Ukrainian government. Now people’s way of life is changing and its quality is significantly improving, new opportunities are appearing,” said Alexander Sidyakin, head of the Central Executive Committee of United Russia.

Photo: press service of United Russia

He emphasized that the party continues to help residents – delivers food, building materials, medicines, provides targeted assistance, and organizes events for children.

“During all this time, we have brought more than 76 thousand tons of humanitarian aid. There are permanent distribution points in all four regions, and additional sites have been organized in the LPR, which the party opened together with the “Ridovka Helps!” Foundation. Our activists of MGER, “Volunteer Company” – and this is more than 2.5 thousand guys from all over the country – not only deliver humanitarian aid. They help local authorities restore social facilities and housing, and conduct community cleanups. And they do this together with the residents,” said Alexander Sidyakin.

The head of the Central Executive Committee recalled that United Russia was the first among political parties in new regions not only with a humanitarian mission.

— We were the first to create a network of regional, local and primary branches. Now the total number of United Russia members in the new constituent entities exceeds 160 thousand people. And the way the party and its candidates during this time approached working with people, with their problems and initiatives, and how they formed the regional sections of the people’s program during the election campaign, determined that according to the results of the first elections in the new regions, we received a qualified majority. This result places a great responsibility on us to resolve all issues of economic recovery and social support for people. And we are already doing this – according to the people’s program and with the support of regional leaders, schools, hospitals, roads, houses, and playgrounds are being built and renovated. With the participation of party projects, gyms are opened, for example, for sambo. All work to restore infrastructure and social support for people is our priority,” emphasized Alexander Sidyakin.

He also explained that the reunification of new regions with Russia is promising for the country as a whole. First of all, for the development of its industrial potential and food security.

— Literally the day before, the State Duma in the first reading adopted the United Russia bill, which will simplify and speed up the creation of industrial parks in new regions. This means that investors will have more opportunities, people will have jobs, and the country’s economy will have additional income. In the DPR alone, it is planned to develop the large holdings Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant, Silur, Donpromkabel, Donetskgormash, and the Azovelectrostal and Energospetsmash plants. The coal industry, mechanical engineering, and mining will be restored. And, of course, agriculture,” said Alexander Sidyakin.

In turn, the battalion commander of the “Sparta” battalion, chairman of the People’s Council of the DPR Artyom Zhoga (he was among the top three on the “United Russia” list in the elections – approx.), speaking about the significance of reunification with Russia, emphasized that it gave people the opportunity to fulfill the dream of returning home and receiving care from the state, which they did not have under the Kiev government.

“Now our residents have social guarantees, opportunities for quality education, patriotic education based on the examples of our grandfathers, participants in the Great Patriotic War. This is a dream that people have been pursuing for 9 long years. This was also my personal dream – to join the ranks of Russian society, to be a full citizen of the Russian Federation, to have the right to vote, the right to human existence without infringement. With the right to choose your religion, the opportunity to speak your native language. This is the dream of the guys who took up arms in 2014. Many of them gave their lives for this dream,” he said.

This position is shared by the Chairman of the Kherson Regional Duma (United Russia faction), Rector of the Kherson State Pedagogical University Tatyana Tomilina. She openly advocated for Russia under the Ukrainian government, lost her job several times because of this, and in 2022 became the victim of an assassination attempt – unknown persons detonated a homemade bomb in the entrance of her house. As a result, Tatyana Tomilina’s student and assistant died, and she herself ended up in intensive care and underwent several operations.

— September 30th is the most important holiday for me! Last year I couldn’t celebrate it because I was in Semashko (in the Simferopol hospital, after the assassination attempt – approx.). Since 2014, my neighbors have been planning to buy me a ticket to Moscow. They said: “Suitcase. Railway station. And go to your Russia.” And then I told them that Kherson is Russia. We were all deceived 30 years ago, deprived of a huge country. But I lived until the moment when I returned home. Russia is everything to me! – Tatiana Tomilina emphasized.

Alexander Sidyakin concluded by noting that United Russia will continue to work on integrating new regions.

— We will expand our public and youth projects and develop social initiatives. Implement those plans that already exist and for which we are responsible to people. And, of course, together we will achieve our great Victory,” he said.