The four separatist regions of Ukraine backed by Moscow, occupied by invading forces, held referendums of Friday to join Russia.
represent the plan start of President Vladimir Putin’s plan to annex a big chunk of Ukraine in what the west says is a violation of international The law that escalates war dramatically.
After nearly seven months of The war that killed dozens of thousands and left Some eastern cities of Putin indicated to the arid lands of Ukraine, that he would annex the regions if the people in Areas controlled by Russia vote to me join Russia.
The vote, which the West and Ukraine say is fake, took place military Occupation, Friday and ends Tuesday, with results is expected soon Then.
vote takes place in Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republics (LPR), which Putin recognized as independent just Before invasionregions controlled by Russia of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.
“everybody of us I was waiting for Referendum on joining Russia for Eight long years,” said Russia-backed leader Leonid Bashnik of Luhansk.
“We have already become a part of Russia. there remains just small matter for win (the war).”
“We are going back home,” the Russia-backed leader said of Donetsk, Denis Pushlin. Donbas is Russia.
results of it support joining Russia is almost certain, as is a legal annexation quickly planned along the lines of Annexation 2014 of Crimea that took just days.
As voting begins, Ivan Fedorov, the ousted mayor of Ukraine of Melitopol occupied by Russia, part of of Zaporizhzhya Prefecture said on Telegram that residents heard an explosion in The city The center is 7 a.m. local time.
“People are afraid to leave their homes,” Fedorov said.
Although Russia recognized Ukraine postSoviet borders Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Putin looks over vast areas of Eastern and Southern Ukraine were Russian possessions lost due to the mistakes of Soviet leaders Vladimir Lenin and Nikita Khrushchev.
Ukraine says You will never accept Russian control of Which of lands and will fight until the last The Russian soldier is expelled.
“The Kremlin is organizing a fake referendum to try to annex the parts,” he added of US President Joe Biden told the 77th session: of United Nations General Assembly.
“Ukraine has the same rights that belong to every sovereign state. We will stand up in symbiosis with Biden said, who Cast war as part of a global The competition between democracy and authoritarianism.
‘Sham votes”
Putin, Russia’s supreme leader since 1999, said this week that Russia will not abandon them in Regions of Ukraine it controls And who said wanted to break away from Kyiv Because they will be killed by an “executioner”.
War cast alike battle To save the Russian-speaking in Eastern Ukraine from persecution as way To thwart what it is says Is a Western conspiracy to destroy Russia. Ukraine denies persecution of Russian speakers.
In direct nuclear warning To the West, Putin said he would defend Russian lands with By all means available to him.
It is not clear exactly how The votes will work in A war zone with a lot people They were displaced. Russia controls bone of Luhansk and Kherson, about 66% of Zaporizhzhia and just 60% of Donetsk. The fight continues in All four regions.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said they were appointed by Russian officials in Regions set goals for invented and approved voter turnout rates, with Some turnout numbers already agreed.
dispute in Eastern Ukraine started in 2014 after the overthrow of a pro-Russian president in Maidan revolution in Ukraine Russia annexed the Crimea, while the Russian-backed separatists in Donbass – who composed of Donetsk and Luhansk – sought to break away from Kyiv control.
After the Russian forces took control of Crimea, with a majority ethnic Russian and was transferred to Ukraine in Soviet times on February 27, 2014, referendum on joining Russia held on March 16.
Crimean leaders declared 97% vote to separate from Ukraine. Russia officially added Crimea on March 21. Kyiv The West said the referendum violated the Ukrainian constitution and international Law.
