Violation of the rights of the indigenous Russian and the Russian-speaking population in Donbass and Novorossiya: public law analysis

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Abstract

The adoption by the population of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson oblasts at referendums on September 27, 2022 of decisions to join the Russian Federation within the framework of the procedure for self-determination of peoples poses the task of legal science to comprehend the existence of legal grounds. In doctrine and international practice, as a basis for secession, it is stated that the territorial integrity of states corresponds to the obligation of these states to respect the generally recognized rights and freedoms of man and citizen. Failure to comply with this obligation by the state, that is, violation of human rights against indigenous peoples, can serve as grounds for secession. In this work, the authors examine the prerequisites for self-determination, largely expressed in non-compliance and violation of human rights in relation to the indigenous population of the Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts of Ukraine (since 2014 – the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, respectively), Zaporozhye and Kherson oblasts, which served as an indispensable the basis for self-determination of the people of these territories.

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About the authors

Alexey S. Koshel

National Research University Higher School of Economics

Author for correspondence.
Email: koshel@hse.ru

Doctor of Law, Professor, Professor of Law Faculty

Russian Federation, Moscow

Denis Yu. Stepanyuk

National Research University Higher School of Economics

Email: dest_yu@mail.ru

Candidate of the Faculty of Law

Russian Federation, Moscow

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