Stanytsia Luhanska District Council in Luhansk region at its session on Friday afternoon recognized the Russian Federation as an aggressor state and the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as a terrorist organization, according to Head of Luhansk Regional Military and Civil Administration Hennadiy Moskal.

"The session was attended by 21 members of the council (with the required minimum being 19), two of whom abstained and the rest voted 'yes.' The issue of recognizing Russia as an aggressor state and the LPR as a terrorist organization was the last on agenda and its adoption was preceded by a heated discussion. However, a nearly unanimous decision was taken," reads the statement posted on Moskal's website on Friday.

He said that the decision of the district council was "very significant."

"First of all, Stanytsia Luhanska district suffered the most from military actions in Luhansk region. Second of all, the district center is located on the demarcation line (the nearest terrorists' checkpoint to the district state administration is less than a kilometer away, occupied Luhansk is 12 km away). Thus, the influence of the so-called LPR can be felt here," Moskal said.

Another reason as to why he thinks the decision was significant is that the Don Cossacks, who have never concealed their affection for Russia, live in this region.

"At the end of last year, pro-Russian moods here reached 90%. However, during this time, locals could assess the work of the military-civilian administration and compare the lives at their home (where all the social facilities work; people regularly receive salaries, pensions, children benefits and other [kinds of] welfare; life sustaining facilities work as usual; food is much cheaper than on the other side of the demarcation line) and the life in the occupied territories, where there's nothing like that," Moskal said.

As such, the decision is logical, and the fact that it was made in Stanytsia Luhanska shows that people near to the frontline have begun to understand what Russia and the so-called LPR really are, Moskal added.