War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin promises to rebuild destroyed cities in Donbass, it will take weeks, months, years

In particular, there is much to be done in Luhansk and Donetsk and therefore, our country will help the Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic, the president said Wednesday during a video conference with young people.

 

Russia recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian people's republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in February, officially to protect these territories.

 

Previously, Moscow also invested in the Crimean peninsula, annexed in 2014, to build bridges, an airport and a highway. However, rebuilding the Donbass is likely to be much more expensive. It will take months, weeks and years to restore order in the Donbas, Putin said. But at least we will do it, he told a concerned girl from the region.

 

Vladimir Putin has also spoken out in favour of an association of young people in Russia. Some observers compare such an organization to the Komsomol, the Soviet communist youth movement. Critics accuse Putin of wanting to set up a paternalistic authoritarian system, as in the Soviet era.