Possible accession to Russia: Luhansk and Donetsk hold “referendums”.

Status: 09/20/2022 7:30 pm

Russian officials are set to hold referendums on joining Russia in several Ukrainian regions this month. Ukraine talks about the threat. Chancellor Scholz made it clear that the “bad referendum” was against international law.

The “people’s republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine want to hold a controversial referendum on joining the Russian Federation this week. This has been announced by the Mandals.

Vote this weekend

The vote, which is not recognized by Ukraine or the international community, is scheduled for September 23 to 27 and is a reaction to the ongoing Ukrainian counter-offensive in the east of the country.

Earlier, in Luhansk Russian established military administrators announced that they had passed a law to hold such a “referendum”.

The deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, former president Dmitry Medvedev, has previously said that Russia’s annexation of the Donbass could strengthen the Russian military offensive in Ukraine. “Entering Russian territory is a crime,” Medvedev wrote on online networks. He insisted that Moscow could “use all defensive means” to defend itself.

After his statements about the “referendums”, Medvedev received immediate support from the head of the Russian Public Forum. Vyacheslav Volodin told the delegation: “If the residents of Donbas speak freely to be part of Russia, we will support them.”

Russian state media, citing administrators appointed by Russian occupiers in the Cherson region and Zaporizhzhya region, are also set to hold “referendums” there on annexation to Russia.

Serson mentions the end of September as a period

In Cherson, the government’s occupier leader, Vladimir Zalto, reportedly asked Russia for help in holding such a “referendum,” writes Russian agency RIA Novosti. The period from September 23 to 27 is also set here.

According to the RIA Novosti agency, Zaporizhia said such a “referendum” could only take place in “liberated territory” — meaning territory captured by Russia. In the city of Zaporizhia itself, no “referendum” is currently planned. It is controlled by Ukraine.

Ukraine responds with threats of violence and mockery

Ukraine announced violent retaliation. “Ukraine will solve the Russian problem. The threat can be avoided only through violence,” Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, told the diplomatic service Telegram. The announcement of the referendums was “blackmail” by the government in Moscow, which was driven by “fear of failure” given Ukraine’s gains in the territory.

Counselor in the Office of the President, Mykhailo Podoliak, spoke of a “show” for war observers in Russia. “Want to waste the time it takes to arrange an escape on a new show? Give it a try. It’ll be interesting,” he wrote.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter: “Neither fake referendums nor hybrid mobilization will change anything.” Ukraine will keep liberating its territory no matter what Russia says.

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The Ukrainian Defense Ministry compared the events on Twitter to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. “They expect the results of 1938. Instead they get Hitler’s results of 1945.”

Shalls: Imperial Occupation

Federal chancellor Olaf Scholes declared that the planned vote was against international law. “It was very, very clear that these fake referendums are unacceptable, they are not under international law and are not covered by the understandings reached by the international community,” he said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“It’s all an attempt at imperialist aggression and it should be embellished.” Russia must withdraw its forces, Sholes demanded. “Ukraine has every right to defend the integrity and sovereignty of its own country and its own democracy. We support Ukraine in this.”

Stoltenberg: More escalation

US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jack Sullivan, said the referendums were against the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. “We will never recognize this region as anything other than part of Ukraine. We unequivocally reject Russia’s actions,” he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg disputed the legitimacy of the vote and described the referendum on Twitter as “a further escalation of Putin’s war”. He called on the international community to condemn “this flagrant violation of international law” and increase support for Ukraine.

The UN insisted on Kiev’s independence from Moscow. “The United Nations, in all its activities, continues to reaffirm Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” spokesman Farhan Haq said.

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