The referendums on the accession of the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson to the Russian Federation begin this Friday and will last until September 27, indicated the pro-Russian authorities in those regions.
The parliaments of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, recognized by the Kremlin on February 21, called a referendum on integration into Russia between this Friday and September 27, which was joined by the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia, partially under Russian rule.
The official announcement of the holding of these popular consultations for the annexation of the Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation was made in a speech to the nation delivered on Wednesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with the mobilization of 300,000 Russian reservists to fight in Ukraine and a veiled threat. to use nuclear weapons against the West.
Western countries and international organizations immediately criticized Putin’s speech, which they classified as a new attempt to escalate the conflict by the Russian head of state.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also commented on the remarks, saying he was “deeply concerned” about Moscow’s plans to hold referendums on the accession of the occupied Ukrainian territories to the Russian Federation.
At a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Guterres stressed that “any annexation of the territory of one state by another state as a result of the threat or use of force is a violation of the UN Charter and international law.”
The Serb member of the Bosnian Presidency, Milorad Dodik, declared in Moscow that he is willing to send observers to the referendum in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, for their integration with Russia, according to the Bosnian press.
The nationalist leader of the Bosnian Serbs, quoted by the Klix portal, considered the referendums an autonomous decision of the citizens, despite being held in a war scenario and without guarantees.
The calling of these popular consultations in the territories occupied by Russian forces follows the referendum on joining Russia held in 2014 by the Russophone authorities in Crimea, the result of which legitimized Moscow’s annexation of the peninsula.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine has already caused the flight of more than 13 million people -more than six million internally displaced persons and more than 7.4 million to European countries-, according to the most recent data from the UN, which places this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Putin with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the international community at large, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.
The UN presented as confirmed since the beginning of the war 5,916 civilian deaths and 8,616 wounded, highlighting that these figures are far below the real ones.
Source: TSF
