South Ossetia Russia accession referendum to be ready by May-June

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Tskhinvali could complete a referendum on South Ossetia's accession to Russia in May or June, Yuri Vazagov, the head of the information and analytical administration, told Sputnik on Saturday.

"Certain dates were tentatively named, probably in May-June. I think that the preparation will be possibly completed within these terms," Vazagov said.

In late March, the head of the breakaway republic of South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, said his country's unification with Russia was its strategic goal, path, and aspiration of the people.

"We will take the relevant legislative steps shortly. The republic of South Ossetia will be part of its historical homeland - Russia," he stressed. 

According to the speaker of the breakaway republic's Parliament, South Ossetia has all the necessary legal grounds to join Russia.

The referendum will take place at the request of South Ossetian President Anatoly Bibilov when he said the territory would work on becoming part of Russia in the near future.

This comes after Russia recognized the independence of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk following years of Ukrainian hostilities and aggressions.

The Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) had accused Kiev of repeatedly shelling the Donbass region with 120mm mortars which are banned by the Minsk accord.

The DPR Ministry of Emergency Situations, ahead of the Russian declaration, said Donetsk had already evacuated 6,600 people, including nearly 2,500 children as Kiev escalated the situation.