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The Kremlin intends to carry out the phased economic integration of Donbass with Russia and thus "completely separate" the region from Ukraine. It is reported by Bloomberg with reference to sources close to the Russian leadership.

According to sources, Vladimir Putin enjoys the uncertainty of the US position in Ukraine, but "buried hopes" to release from sanctions in the near future. At the same time, the Russian president does not have plans for the annexation or recognition of the independence of Donbass, he intends to tear off the captured territories from Ukraine.

Moscow "gradually and consistently" uses an economic blockade by Ukrainian activists as a political cover and builds key economic relations with the self -proclaimed DPR and LPR. In particular, Russian Railways reduced tariffs for the transportation of coal and iron ore in regions adjacent to the occupied territories. This will allow replacing supplies to the metallurgical plants of Donbass after the cessation of their supply from the territory of Ukraine.

State Duma deputy Uneneros Konstantin Zatulin told Bloomberg that the country's government took the “next step towards the Donbass branch.” The former member of the Presidium of the General Council of United Russia, Alexei Chesnakov, who is currently advising the presidential administration on Ukrainian policy issues, as well as the highest government official on the basis of anonymity, confirmed the words of the deputy.

According to two Western diplomats working in Moscow, Putin’s strategy includes the creation of levers to strengthen the Kremlin control over Donbass for a short time. Chesnakov, commenting on this, emphasized that response measures are "always ready." "Every time Ukraine gives us an occasion to implement them," he said.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such a formulation of the issue of "absurd", and the relevant publications - "naive and primitive." "For many years, both President Putin and Russian representatives at various levels talk about this: Moscow is not trying to integrate the unrecognized republics of Donbass into Russia," Peskov said.

On March 17, he stated that the Kremlin does not consider scenarios on the integration of the DPR and LPR into Russia. “There are no such scenarios, some written,” said Peskov. “You know that there are different discussions. You know the mood that representatives of the Donbass have repeatedly voiced. But there are no written scenarios on this score.” That is why Russia is anxiously watching how Ukraine deliberately rejects a huge region from itself, the presidential spokesman added.

“We do not consider it possible in this context in this context. Russia was and remains interested in the fact that its borders have a single, predictable and prosperous Ukraine, so far, unfortunately, the country is far from this,” Peskov emphasized.

Peskov also commented on the words of the Permanent Representative of Russia under the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich that in Moscow they are allowed to cancel the recognition of documents of the DPR and LPR. According to the diplomat, for this, Kyiv must fully fulfill the Minsk agreements.

Peskov said that the decision to recognize the documents was correct, although forced. The press secretary noted that "the conscious actions of Kyiv by breaking up relations with the region" do not mean that millions of Ukrainians must exist without any help. "And in this case, of course, Russia cannot leave them without humanitarian assistance, without humanitarian assistance," Peskov said.