The future of Ukrainians is more uncertain than ever in the four southeastern regions. Russia announced a score close to 100% in annexation “referendums”. A score that, according to many specialists, was a foregone conclusion, because the democratic process was almost non-existent. From now on, the question of the future arises for the inhabitants of the Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporijjia and Lugansk regions.
More military means for Russia
Therefore, the four regions will become Russian for the Kremlin. Therefore, the attacks of the Ukrainian army will be considered as an attack on its territory. For Michel Goya, defense consultant for BFMTV, war “is no longer a special, external operation, on the contrary, it is the defense of the homeland.”
Vladimir Putin then has more military means to regain ground. “From there, it is possible to mobilize all the resources of the nation. More simply a professional army but also conscripts and reservists who are mobilized”, explains the consultant. Last week, the Russian president called for the partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists.
According to the former French army colonel, the head of the Kremlin will also be able to “mobilize new Russian citizens from these new territories.” For Emmanuel Dupuy, president of the Institute for Foresight and Security in Europe, “the strategy pursued by President Putin is to bring as many soldiers as possible to maintain the front line and he does not need them to be highly trained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke Tuesday of a “cynical attempt to force Ukrainian men from the occupied territories to join the Russian army to fight against their homeland.”
A Russification of institutions
The changes were to be perceived by the Ukrainian citizens of the territories in their daily life, quickly. Claude Blanchemaison, former French ambassador to Russia, says “there will be an attempt to Russify institutions, coins, references.”
“It will start right away,” predicts the former ambassador. Many specialists also draw a parallel with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, where Russia had imposed its language, its currency and its leaders.
The Russian Parliament should vote in the coming days on the integration of these regions into Russia. In the process, Vladimir Putin could give a speech on Friday, to officially integrate these territories into the Russian Federation.
Vladimir Putin more isolated
But these annexations are not necessarily synonymous with victory for the Russian president. Guillaume Ancel, a former lieutenant colonel in the French army, states on BFMTV that “Russia’s international support is turning against him [Vladimir Poutine] nobody wants this kind of international manipulation, nobody wants to be on the losing side.”
For Ulysse Gosset, a columnist on international politics for BFMTV, Moscow’s main ally on the international stage is beginning to put pressure on it. “China asks Putin to make an effort, he is obliged to listen to them, China has changed its tone, it has raised its voice.”
Westerners have also stepped up their criticism of the Russian regime. The European Union evokes illegal elections” and the United Nations reaffirmed its “commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” In addition, Ukrainian diplomacy claimed on Wednesday a “significant” increase in Western military aid.
Source: BFM TV
