The G7 countries condemned the holding of referendums in the territories controlled by pro-Russian pro-Russians in Ukraine, considering it a violation of international law.

“We, the leaders of the G7, strongly condemn the fake referendums that Russia is trying to use to create a sham pretext to change the status of the sovereign territory of Ukraine,” she said in a joint statement posted on the website of the German Foreign Ministry.

The heads of state stressed that “such actions are a violation of the UN Charter and international law, and are incompatible with the rule of law.”

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions fully comply with international law.

On the morning of September 23, in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, referenda began on the issue of joining Russia and the voting will last until the 27th.