Kharkiv mayor responds to Belgorod Oblast's head and calls his oblast "Belgorod People's Republic"

The governor of Belgorod Oblast, Vyacheslav Gladkov, proposed to join Kharkiv Oblast to his oblast. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov called this proposal delusional.

Source: Nastoyashcheye Vremya ("Current Time")

Details: Gladkov stated that the best way to solve the "problem of shelling" in his region is to "join Kharkiv Oblast [to Belgorod Oblast]".

Quote from Terekhov: "It's funny to hear that. Belgorod Oblast is perceived in Kharkiv exclusively as "BPR" ("Belgorod People's Republic"). Therefore, let the delusions he expressed be a comfort to him."

More details: Terekhov recalled that Russian troops tried to seize Kharkiv from the very beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but they almost completely withdrew from the region in September of last year.

Quote: "For reference, I can remind you that, if you take the population of Belgorod, it is only [the size of] one district of Kharkiv. Also, for a bit of history: once upon a time there was Kharkiv Oblast, which included the city of Belgorod. We will not go into that. But regarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of today, Ukraine is a sovereign state, and Kharkiv is a Ukrainian city – was, is and will be."

Note: In June 1919, Belgorod and the entire territory of the Belgorod district were occupied by the troops of the Armed Forces of Southern Russia – the Voluntary Army of Vladimir May-Mayevsky. Belgorod district was part of the Kharkiv Oblast of Southern Russia until the end of 1919.

Background: In the early fall of 2022, Ukrainian troops launched a counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast and very quickly liberated almost the entire oblast from Russian occupation.

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