Serhiy Leschenko for Ukrainska Pravda

Documents describing Russia’s plan for the annexation of Luhansk Oblast from Ukraine have leaked to Ukrainian security services. The scenario outlined in these documents was developed by Russian political strategists. It involves announcing Luhansk Oblast an independent state after a referendum is conducted.  After that the quasi-state is to join either Russia or Ukraine, but on different conditions than before. The date of the referendum is scheduled for May 11th.

The key point of the intercepted scenario is to declare members of the Luhansk Regional Council outlaws, and in their place the separatists are to form the ruling ‘body’, and to pass the independence acts.

The reason is stated in a draft resolution prepared by the separatists: