Ukraine’s ambassador to Portugal, Inna Ohnivets, described this Friday as “provocation” the “referendums” that Russia is holding for the annexation of the occupied Ukrainian territories and guaranteed that her country will not recognize the results.
Speaking to journalists in Braga, on the sidelines of a solidarity initiative with the Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, Inna Ohnivets said she also hoped that “the entire democratic world” would not recognize the referendum results either.
“We consider the realization [dos referendos] as a provocation and a violation of Ukrainian law and, of course, we will not recognize the results of these referendums. I hope the whole democratic world doesn’t recognize it either.”he said.
For the ambassador, the holding of the referendums “shows the continuation, by the Kremlin regime, of war crimes and the violation of international norms on the right to sovereignty and independence of the Ukrainian people.”
The referendums on the accession of the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson to the Russian Federation begin today 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 now 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.
Source: TSF
