INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Petersburg will establish a sister city relationship with the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol and help in its restoration, Governor
and utilities, healthcare, education and cultural ties between Russia's second-largest city and the strategic Ukrainian port.Beglov plans
finance infrastructure projects in the separatist pro-Russian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, the RBC news website reported Monday, citing an
sources as saying.Beglov's statement comes amid increasing signals that Russia could permanently occupy territories it has captured during
its three-month invasion of Ukraine.President Vladimir Putin recognized both Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics in the run-up to
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February
Both the separatist leaders of the Donbas and Moscow-appointed authorities in captured Ukrainian territories have indicated they would like
to become part of Russia.The Kremlin has publicly rejected claims that Russia was seeking to permanently occupy captured Ukrainian
