The Russian State Duma has passed a resolution at a session to immediately send to the Russian president a Duma address on the need to recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR and LPR), Interfax reported.

A decision to this effect was taken by a rating vote.

The document submitted by United Russia faction MPs Viktor Vodolatsky and Artem Turov, envisaging first consultations with the Russian Foreign Ministry, was considered alongside a draft resolution from the Communist faction, which calls for the State Duma to immediately ask the Russian president to recognize the independence of the DPR and LPR.

The Communists' draft received the highest number of votes, 351, while the initiative of the parliamentary majority faction received 310.

Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said at the plenary session that the resolution on Duma's appeal to the president would be signed immediately and sent to the head of state.