The Kremlin is considering a scenario that includes the creation of the so-called "Yuzhnaya Rus" [Southern Rus] in the russian-occupied territories, which is going to be the "successor" of Kyiv-Novhorod Rus, the Zaporizhzhia Sich, the so-called "Novorosia of Catherine the Great" and the USSR. "The founding of a new state" will take place in response to "terror and totalitarian imposition of the ideology of Nazism and "banderivshchyna," reads the intercepted document, which was published by "Skhemy" [Schemes].
According to the media, the document is titled "Manifesto of the South Russian People's Council"; it was created on 16 April 2022. It was distributed among the representatives of ruling circles of the russian federation.
"In response to the terror and totalitarian imposition of the ideology of Nazism and "banderivshchyna" caused by the former State of Ukraine, we, South Russian People's Council, take power into our own hands and establish a new state of Yuzhnaya Rus [Southern Rus]," - reads the manifesto.
The authors define "achievement and protection of peace" and "destruction of Nazism and "banderivshchyna" as the primary goal of the creation of "Yuzhnaya Rus." Also, they are announcing a "nationwide referendum." However, they did not specify which territories were included in this plan.
Due to the document's metadata, the journalists managed to identify its author. It turned out to be Roman Romanov. The computer belongs to the political party "Yedinaya Rassia" [United Russia]. The man with this name is the Deputy Chairman of the "Yedinaya Rassia" Central Executive Committee. He graduated from the historical faculty of Tomsk State Pedagogical University, where he later worked as a professor. He also is the Head of the "Yedinaya Rassia" Higher Party School.
The document was reviewed by Andriy Turchak, First Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council for the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Secretary of the General Council of the political party "Yedinaya Rassia." Andriy Turchak is subject to Great Britain sanctions. Dmytro Hryzlov, an assistant to Russian businessman Konstantyn Malofeiev, who is another subject to sanctions and is called "the sponsor of the war in Donbas," also reviewed the document.
On 25 April 2022, the occupiers seized the building of the Kherson City Council and the Region State Administration, appointed "their" mayor, and the head of the state administration (former mayor Volodymyr Saldo turned out to be a traitor). They planned to hold a "referendum" on 27 April 2022 to imitate the "legitimizing of Russian ruling."