MOSCOW, May 30. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia will certainly provide humanitarian aid to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“Humanitarian aid will be given to them for sure, but I can’t say anything about military aid. The military should be asked about that,” Peskov told Russian media on Thursday.

On Wednesday, DPR head Denis Pushilin sent Russia an official request asking the country to adopt the DPR as its constituent member as well as provide comprehensive assistance to Donetsk Region people.

After Crimea’s incorporation by Russia in March, massive protests against the new Ukrainian authorities in Kiev erupted in Ukraine’s Russian-speaking southeastern territories. Kiev has been conducting a punitive operation against pro-federalization activists that has already reportedly claimed dozens of lives, including civilian.

The eastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Lugansk regions held referendums on May 11, in which most voters supported independence from Ukraine. Kiev wants to crush protests held by its opponents in the breakaway territories.