Russian authorities always paid enough attention to national question in internal politics and never missed a chance to control activity of Diasporas. When the war against Ukraine started, “accountable” unities of Ukrainians in Russia became retransmitters of Kremlin’s official position, which includes contraposition of “good” Ukrainians – to “bad” Ukrainians. Particular attention special services of the RF pay to unities of people from eastern Ukraine.

Regional public organization “Expatriates’ Community of Donbass People” has been working in Russia since 1996. It became the base for establishment of all-Russian “International Congress of Expatriates’ Communities of Donbass People”. Founder and Head of this organization was late Nikolay Lunev, ex-director of Donetsk mine of Kalinin, regional komsomolskiy activist and official of Minuglepprom of the USSR, another head of the Congress was Iosif Kobzon.

“International Congress of Expatriates’ Communities of Donbass People” is presented by media as organization, which declares only humanitarian and cultural goals.

It is reported that “expatriates” helped artists from Donetsk to appear in Ukrainian Cultural Center on Maly Arbat. Organization also organized many concerts of other Ukrainian artists.

Site of the Organization provides information about sources of financing. Those people from Donbass organized kind of a consulting company and consulted representatives of Ukrainian business, provided services on entering Russian market. “Expatriates’ Community” was selling contacts, which left from nomenclature past of the board members. We cannot exclude opportunity that Russian business also penetrated Donbass with help of those “expatriates”, taking into consideration scale of informal relationships of local Ukrainian authorities and intermediaries. It can be also proved by distribution of Ukrainian awards and titles among members of the board of “Expatriates’ Community”. Just one singing deputy of the State Duma of the RF Kobzon became “honorable citizen” of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Enakievo, Gorlovka and Artemovsk.

Representatives of Russian and Ukrainian government visited Moscow Donbass people.

“International Congress of Expatriates’ Communities of Donbass People” supports separatists and then “Novorossiya” after annexation of Crimea and start of the war in Ukraine. At the beginning of confrontation in Donbass the Board of the “Expatriates’ Community” addressed “all people of Ukraine” with a speech about close ties between Ukraine and Russia.

They suggested Ukrainians to start negotiations with terrorists and discuss changes to Constitution. It is not hard to guess that they were talking about federalization. Kobzon and astronaut Volkov also signed that appeal.

“Expatriates’ Community” changed its tone to anti-Ukrainian after development of the ATO. They called Kiev Government “junta” and fighters of volunteer battalions – “castigators”. “Donbass people” repeat all clichés of Russian propaganda about situation in Ukraine.

The Head of the Congress Lunev accepted congratulations with the Day of Russia on a form with a trident … from the Head of the Donetsk city Lukiyanchenko – his close friend.

Singer Kobzon also visited occupied regions of Ukraine as a member of “International Congress of Expatriates’ Communities of Donbass People”. He came with “humanitarian aid”, collected by the “Expatriates’ Community” for “people of Novorossiya”. Moreover, he used Donetsk businessmen for that, who owe their success to Moscow and Lunev’s contacts. Kobzon also shared his geopolitical views, his regrets for those Ukrainians, who suffer from “fanatical nationalism, cynical distortion of history, imposed dislike for Russia, Russian language, Russian brothers”.

“Main compatriot of Donbass” blamed the USA and Europe in all troubles of our country. Singer isn’t confused at all about presence of Russian army on the territory of his native Donbass.

So, “Expatriates’ Community of Donbass People” took side of Kremlin in the war against Ukraine. It sends loads of unknown content to “LPR/DPR” and participates in propaganda war against Ukraine. Moreover, “Expatriates’ Community” betrays oneself as legitimate civilian power and we will not be surprised in its participation in negotiations about Donbass’s fate. We will not exclude opportunity that “compatriots” will use their contacts among former political and business-elite in eastern Ukraine for certain influence on situation. And, of course, this impact will be for the benefit of Kremlin.

Prepared by Mykyta Pidgora for the Informator.lg.ua