Putin: Dear friends, dear citizens of Russia!

I congratulate you on the Day of Unification of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions with Russia.

One year ago, on September 30, a decisive, truly historic and significant event took place: the treaties were signed on the admission of the four new constituent parts of the Federation into Russia. Millions of residents of the Donbas, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions decided to be with their homeland.

The people took this conscious, long-awaited, long-suffering and truly popular decision together in referendums in full compliance with international standards, demonstrating courage and intransigence. They have tried to intimidate them, to take away their right to decide their own future and destiny, to take away what is dear to every human being - culture, traditions, native language - everything that was hated by the nationalists and their Western patrons who staged a coup in Kiev in 2014 and then unleashed a full-scale civil war, terror against dissidents, organised a blockade, constant shelling and criminal actions in the Donbas.

But nothing and no one can break the will of millions of people, their faith in truth and historical justice. The people of Russia wholeheartedly supported the free and unequivocal choice of our brothers and sisters, understood and deeply felt the main thing: by defending our compatriots in Donbas and Novorossiya, we are defending Russia itself, together we are fighting for our homeland, for our sovereignty, spiritual values and unity, and for victory. I thank all the citizens of the country for this unity and patriotic spirit.

Today we are also building our common future together, renovating and building schools and hospitals, houses and roads, museums and monuments. All our regions are providing truly fraternal assistance to the towns and villages of Donbas and Novorossiya. Volunteers, public and religious organisations, parliamentary parties, businessmen and workers' collectives are contributing to this work, to this common cause; the whole large, united country is creating a common cause.

The recent elections in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions were an important step towards strengthening our common state, political and legal space. Just like a year ago, in historic referendums, the people once again expressed and confirmed their will to be with Russia, supporting their compatriots, those who have earned the trust of the people through their work and real actions.

We have a lot of work and complex tasks ahead of us, implementing a large-scale programme of reconstruction and socio-economic development of our historic regions. And we will certainly achieve our goals.

I would like to address in particular the people of the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. I thank you for having preserved and passed on to your children the love of your homeland despite all the trials. Thanks to you, your strength and determination, Russia has become even stronger. We are one nation and together we will overcome everything and master all challenges.

Happy holiday, dear friends, happy Unification Day!