Zaporozhye to conduct Russia referendum in fall

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The referendum about Zaporozhye accession into Russia will take place in the early fall, the chief of the region's interim administration said Thursday.

Zaporozhye Military and Civil Administration chief Yevgeny Palitsky said more than 60% of the region's population see themselves as independent from Ukraine and an entity that will be part of Russia in the future.

"Despite the lies emanating from the Ukrainian and foreign channels, we see the truth, we talk to the people, and we know the path on which we want to embark," Palitsky added.

Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the region's military-civilian administration, stressed that after being completely freed from Ukrainian nationalists, the Zaporozhye region will plan to become part of Russia. 

"There can be only one future for the Zaporozhye Region - it should be part of Russia, should become a full-fledged constituent entity of the Russian Federation. We do not need gray zones, we do not need the Zaporozhye People's Republic. We want to be part of Russia, as we always were for hundreds of years," Rogov said.

Rogov noted that the return of the Zaporozhye Region under the control of Ukraine is ruled out, just like the talks with Kiev.

Palitsky handed over in mid-June the first Russian passports to dozens of residents in a step that marked another rejection of Ukraine in the region.

"Russia will not go anywhere," he promised the residents as he handed them over the Russian documents, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Zaporozhye and Melitopol were the second and third regions, respectively, to have Russian passports issued for their residents, with Kherson being the first.