The doctrine shows the historical and cultural roots of the Donbass self- identification, explains why the residents of Donbass consider themselves Russians and what role the region played at different times during the formation of the Russian statehood. Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin told Ukraina.ru about this.
— Denis Vladimirovich, you both as one of the leaders of the Russian Spring in Donetsk and as the Head of the DPR have always been a consistent public supporter of Donbass joining Russia. A giant billboard saying “Our Goal is Russia” hangs in the center of Donetsk, and there is a Russian flag on the city’s central square. You recently proclaimed the Russian Donbass Doctrine during the public debate in Donetsk’s main library. Why has this happened now?
— The doctrine has not yet been approved, discussions are ongoing. When representatives of the public have expressed their opinion and researchers have worked on its content, we will adopt this document.
Why have we decided to form it as a concept now? All in good time, theories are usually not created in times of change, during the course of landmark, momentous historical events. It takes time to complete some stages and make sense of them.
Besides, it was not obvious that such clear and indisputable for us truths require a separate statement. We know, indeed, that Donbass belongs with the Russian world historically. In fact, the events of the Russian Spring happened on our territory precisely because it was a Russian land from the year dot.
The corrupt Kiev power and those who stand behind them began to tear Ukraine and Donbass away from Russia, making an enemy of it, imposing the path of European integration and accession to NATO. We could not allow this betrayal against our Homeland and we did not allow it on our land.
But it is not enough that we know the reason why Donbass rebelled in 2014. Children are growing up, they need to understand our perspective, we need a systematic and scientific approach to educational methods in terms of history and other subjects.
It is important that the program document outlines our goal, which is to join the Russian Federation.
In addition, the doctrine shows the historical and cultural roots of our self-identification, explains why we consider ourselves Russians and what role Donbass played at different times in the formation of the Russian statehood and its greatness. We all know that for a long time Donbass was an industrial center of the Soviet Union.
So the doctrine appeared just in time, when the people of Donbass demanded such a document. And the enthusiasm with which the discussions began confirms its relevance.
— During the presidency of Leonid Kuchma, who was your counterpart at the negotiations in Minsk, a book was published, called “Ukraine is Not Russia”, which caused much sensation. Do you have any desire to write a book called “Donbass is Russia” or “Donbass is the Heart of Russia” (there was such a poster in the 1920s), in which you would outline the main points of the Russian Donbass Doctrine?
— I don’t know who really wrote the book, but the fact that Kuchma’s name stands next to the false slogan “Ukraine is not Russia” shows that he once led and activated the process of Ukraine’s separation from Russia and bears full responsibility for it.
Moreover, he betrayed his electorate, who voted for him in the election, among other reasons, because he advocated the development of close cooperation with the Russian Federation. And according to the tradition of the Ukrainian government, like not the first and not the last president of this country, he deceived the people.
As for me, at the moment I have neither desire nor possibility to write books, and everyone must mind his own business.
I would like to emphasize one more point, an essential one, I think. For those times the title of Kuchma’s book was a challenge, a kind of provocation, and a new vision of the country’s development was imposed on the people from above in this way.
In our case, the initiative of the doctrine comes from the people: it is their position, their inspiring force, their aspiration, their vision of the ways of development of Donbass. All that remains is to formalize this opinion of the people and approve as an ideological basis.
— You believe that Donbass should already be taken as one of Russia’s regions. You even set a task during your call-in show on December 15 of this year when you answered the questions of Donbass residents: to bring the DPR to the level of the Rostov region with its economic indicators, i.e. in fact it turns out that one Russian region is competing with another. How realistic is such a task, given the economic blockade by Ukraine and the non-recognition of the Republic?
— The inhabitants of Donbass have repeatedly proved by deed that there are no unrealistic tasks for them. Neither are they unrealistic for Russian people in general, especially in times of hardship.
We are not talking about any competition between the republics of Donbass and the regions of the Russian Federation yet, we are in unequal conditions for well-known reasons.
Yes, historically, mentally and given that many residents of the Republic have acquired Russian citizenship, we are part of Russia. We are restoring the cooperation of enterprises, harmonizing the law system, introducing Russian standards, planning to reach the level of salaries in the public sector and pensions at least equal to those of the Rostov region.
This task is realistic, but it is premature to fully compare the quality of life. Our economy is too exhausted by the war, the non-recognition status doesn’t allow the enterprises to be competitive, and the income level of our citizens depends on it.
Nevertheless, we have a goal, it is spelled out in the doctrine, we are moving towards it, and the road, as you know, can be overcome if your spirit is strong and you are sure of your rightness.
