Polls Out: Russia Shows More Support for “Referendums”

The SHAM referendum ended in four Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine. Russian agencies are disseminating the first results: there is talk of a high-level approval of a merger with Russia.

In four of Ukraine’s Russian-controlled regions, referendums on annexation with Russia have concluded, and the Russian side is already disseminating the results of the first part: after counting 20 percent of the vote, Russian news agencies say. , 97 to 98 percent of voters would have voted “yes.” According to Russian reports, participation was high.

Russia held referendums on secession from Ukraine on Friday in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass and in the southern Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia. Meanwhile, there were several reports that the polling took place under threat of violence and intimidation. Representatives of occupation authorities went door to door to collect votes. According to observers, they were mostly with the Russian armed forces.

According to pro-Russian politicians in the regions concerned, the results of the “referendums” could be published in the evening or in the following days. After that, delegates in Moscow must formally vote on annexation with Russia. The resolutions will be submitted to Russian President Vladimir Putin for signature.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said after the vote, “The situation will change radically from the point of view of international law, from a legal point of view, with all the consequences associated with protecting these areas and ensuring their safety.”

London: Connection Friday already?

The British Ministry of Defense did not rule out that Russian President Putin could formally announce the acceptance of occupied Ukrainian territories into the Russian Federation on Friday. Putin is scheduled to address both houses of parliament that day. According to the ministry’s daily situation report, based on findings from British military intelligence, there is a “real possibility” Putin will use the speech to officially announce the accession.

The annexation of four Ukrainian regions to Russia as a result of “referendums” is condemned by the West as a violation of international law. And military escalation is also feared, as from now on Ukrainian attacks in these regions could be interpreted by Russia as an attack on its national territory.

The deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, former president Dmitry Medvedev, reiterated that Moscow would defend the affected areas – “including strategic nuclear weapons”.

NATO Secretary General: “Territories belong to Ukraine”

NATO warned against annexing four Ukrainian territories: “These territories belong to Ukraine,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg clarified on Twitter after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “NATO allies unreservedly support Ukraine’s right to sovereignty and self-defense,” Stoltenberg stressed. “The rigged referendums by Russia have no legitimacy and are a flagrant violation of international law,” Stoltenberg said.

The Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations have already announced that they will “never” recognize the results of the so-called referendums. The US announced a “swift and serious” response in the form of further sanctions against Russia. However, even China called on the matter to respect the “territorial integrity of all countries” without condemning the “referendums”.

The EU wants to impose economic sanctions on those responsible

The EU said it wanted to impose sanctions on those responsible for the “referendum”. “There will be consequences for everyone involved in organizing these illegal referendums,” Peter Stano, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josef Borel, said in Brussels. According to diplomats, those responsible for the “referendums” on the annexation of four Ukrainian regions to Russia will be added to the EU’s sanctions list. They are threatened with entry barriers and their assets in Europe will be frozen. The sanctions list already includes more than 1,200 responsible individuals in Russia and Belarus.

Stano emphasized that member states have the last word on sanctions. An official proposal from the EU Commission to tighten sanctions is expected on Wednesday. A consensus decision is required between member states. Among other things, a price cap for Russian oil and an import ban on Russian diamonds are under discussion.