Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Russian media in the Kremlin on the 22nd that the new Minsk agreement no longer exists. According to the news released on the Russian President's website, Putin recognized the "people's Republic of Donetsk" and "people's Republic of Lugansk" on the same day, saying that the new Minsk agreement had been "strangled" long before Russia announced the recognition of the two "republics". According to the relevant treaties signed by Russia and the two "republics", Russia will provide them with corresponding assistance, including military assistance. Russia intends to perform its obligations when necessary. Putin signed the federal law on Ratifying the Treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between Russia and the two "republics" on the 22nd. Earlier in the day, the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) and the Federal Council (upper house of parliament) unanimously approved the above documents. It is reported that the validity period of the treaty is 10 years, and it will be automatically extended every five years after expiration. According to Russian media reports, the Russian Federation Council held a special meeting on the 22nd and unanimously adopted a resolution in the form of voting, agreeing to authorize the president to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation abroad. According to the communique released on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 22nd, Russia will establish diplomatic relations with the "people's Republic of Donetsk" and the "people's Republic of Lugansk" from now on. In April 2014, a large-scale armed conflict broke out between Ukrainian government forces and local civilian armed forces in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. The civilian armed forces then announced the establishment of the "people's Republic of Donetsk" and the "people's Republic of Lugansk". Through the mediation of the international community, the two parties to the conflict reached a ceasefire agreement in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in September 2014 and a new ceasefire agreement in Minsk in February 2015. Since then, large-scale armed conflicts have been controlled, but small-scale exchanges of fire have occurred from time to time. Since the 17th of this month, the situation in eastern Ukraine has deteriorated. The Ukrainian government and local civilian armed forces accuse each other of launching provocative shelling in the contact line. On the 18th, the civil armed forces in eastern Ukraine announced that due to the risk of Ukrainian military action, they would evacuate local residents to Russia on a large scale from now on. On the 21st, Putin signed the order of Russia to recognize the "people's Republic of Donetsk" and the "people's Republic of Lugansk", as well as the Treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between Russia and the two "republics". (Xinhua News Agency)