Ukrainian officials have slammed plans for occupied parts of Ukraine to hold referenda on joining Russia, saying the move is 'doomed to fail.'
Ukrainian officials have slammed plans for occupied parts of Ukraine to hold referenda on joining Russia, saying the move is "doomed to fail."
The referenda, which are are due take place over the coming weekend, will be held in two self-proclaimed "republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk in the eastern Donbas region as well as occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. "Today there is quite noisy news coming from Russia. And there are many questions about it. But what actually happened? What was heard that we have not heard before," he said in his nightly address, while Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called any referenda a "sham" that would not stop Ukraine from its aim of liberating its territories.
"The third, very important point is that local populations in the temporarily-occupied territories — and we're seeing it now as we are de-occupying these territories — they are not supportive of the occupants. They're not supportive of the aggressor. So these fake referendums are doomed to fail, from whatever angle or aspect you look at it," he said.
Putin said Wednesday that Russia supported the referenda and said that the decision to partially mobilize was "fully adequate to the threats we face, namely to protect our homeland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories."
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Kremlin says referendums set for Russia-backed areas of UkraineLATEST: U.S., Ukraine bolster efforts to prosecute Russia for war crimes.
Read more »
Occupied regions announce votes to join Russia in wake of Ukrainian advancesJUST IN: Kremlin-backed separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine say they will stage votes later this week on formally joining Russia, moves that could represent a dramatic escalation in the wake of Kyiv's successful counteroffensive.
Read more »
4 Ukrainian separatist regions plan votes to join RussiaSeparatist leaders of the Russia-controlled areas of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine are planning votes for the territories to become part of Russia.
Read more »
4 Ukrainian Regions Schedule Votes This Week to Join RussiaThe separatist leaders of four Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine say they are planning to hold referendums this week for the territories to become part of Russia as Moscow loses ground in the war it launched. The votes will be held in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. The announcement of the balloting starting Friday came after a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that they were needed. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also said that folding Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine into Russia itself would make their redrawn frontiers “irreversible” and enable Moscow to use “any means” to defend them.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Putin calls up Russia’s reservists amid war setbacks, backs annexation plansRussian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial military mobilization and referenced Russia’s nuclear arsenal. Kremlin-backed referendums aim to annex occupied areas.
Read more »