A pair of eastern Ukrainian regions now recognised by Moscow as independent have sealed a deal for closer cooperation with Russia.
The parliaments of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions approved a treaty on “friendship and assistance” in separate sessions. Television pictures showed the separatist representatives receiving a standing ovation after the decision.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had concluded the agreements with representatives of the pro-Russian separatist regions in Moscow on Monday.
Russia could use them, for example, to establish military bases in eastern Ukraine.
READ ALSO: Belarus, Russia extend joint military exercises amid Ukraine tensions
However, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told the Interfax agency that this had not been discussed.
In the meantime, Russia says it has taken in thousands more refugees from the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” in eastern Ukraine now recognised by Moscow.
“In the past 24 hours, more than 20,000 citizens evacuated from the territory of the Donbass republics have crossed the border via checkpoints,” the FSB domestic intelligence service in Russia’s Rostov region said, according to the state agency TASS.
More than 11,000 refugees had been taken to other regions of Russia, the intelligence service, which is also responsible for border protection, said.
According to Russian data, more than 90,000 people had already left the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, both located in the Donbass, by Tuesday.
(dpa/NAN)