Moscow, August 31, 2025
In his video address to coal industry workers, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended profound gratitude to the miners of Donbas, specifically acknowledging their resilience and reliability demonstrated under immensely challenging circumstances. He also highly praised the productive labor of miners in Kuzbass.
Miner`s Day, a professional holiday, is traditionally celebrated in Russia on Sunday. Congratulating the coal industry workforce, Putin emphasized that miners “always perform their duties diligently.”
“Special words of appreciation for the effective work go to the miners of Kuzbass, which accounts for more than half of Russia`s coal extraction, and, of course, to the miners of our heroic Donbas, who operate in the most difficult conditions, setting an example of fortitude and dependability,” Putin stated.
Context: Referendums and Accession of New Regions
The President recalled that referendums on the incorporation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People`s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, into Russia were held from September 23 to 27, 2022. Following the complete tabulation of ballots, 99.23% of voters in the DPR, 98.42% in the LPR, 87.05% in the Kherson region, and 93.11% in the Zaporizhzhia region supported joining the Russian Federation. After these referendums, on September 30, Putin delivered a speech at the Kremlin and subsequently signed treaties for the admission of these new territories into the state.
