Russia to keep protecting its new regions by all means available, vows Medvedev

Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev held talks on Tuesday with President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, who also holds the post of the First Secretary of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).

According to a statement provided by the ruling political party, United Russia, Medvedev thanked the leader of Zimbabwe for his balanced approach to the Ukrainian crisis and the recent referendums in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR respectively), as well as in the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions.

"A decision to include these regions into Russia was made based upon the will of local residents, and that will is permanent. We would never allow anyone to tear away the territories in question and [we] will resort to using all available means in order to protect everyone living there," Medvedev told Mnangagwa.

In response, Mnangagwa "confirmed Harare's unchanged approach to the discussion of the issue of Ukraine at international platforms despite unprecedented pressure from the outside."