Separatist leaders from the Zaporyzhya region and the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics have formally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to annex the territories to Russia.
On Tuesday, pro-Russian officials said referendums on the annexation of Ukrainian territories had 87% to 99% public approval in favor of joining Russia.
The referendums were marred by reports of irregularities. The international community said it would not recognize the votes, which the Institute for the Study of War called “implausible.” The High Commissioner for Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, denounced the “illegal referendums”, which he described as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
On day 217 of the war, the European Commission proposed an eighth package of sanctions against Russia, given the “new escalation” of the Kremlin in its aggression against Ukraine, with the holding of “fraudulent referendums”, the threat of resorting to nuclear weapons and partial mobilization.
This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. If you are already a subscriber, log in here. If you think this message is an error, please contact our customer service.
Source: Observadora
