Moscow said it welcomed the vote of four Ukrainian regions to join the Russian Federation in a referendum. Kyiv and its allies called the vote a “sham” referendum. Ukraine has asked the West for new weapons as Russia begins to train the reserves it has assembled.
Following the referendum, pro-Russian authorities in Zaporozhye, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk declared victory for supporters of annexing these regions to Russia. They also explained that they are submitting a formal application to Moscow for the integration of these regions into the Russian Federation.
After five days of voting, an overwhelming majority of the population has opted to join Russia, officials in the region said. It is worth noting that these regions make up about 15% of the total territory of Ukraine.
According to the regional authorities, 98.4 percent of voters in Luhansk opted to join Russia, while Zaporozhye was at 93.1 percent, Kherson at 87 percent and Donetsk at 99.2 percent.
Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and now the deputy chairman of the National Security Council, posted a message on Telegram: “The referendum is over. And the result is clear. Welcome to your homeland – Russia!”
On Tuesday, September 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the purpose of the vote was to protect people from what he called Ukraine’s persecution of Russians and Russian speakers. He added: “Saving the people of all the lands where the referendum is held is not only our top priority, but a priority for our entire society and country.”
The Russian president is expected to approve the application to join at a later date. And after that, he can view any attempt by Ukraine to retake these areas as an attack on Russian territory. Because, as we all know, he has previously stated that he is prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend the “territorial integrity” of his country.
In the urgent news reported by RIA Novosti on the afternoon of the 28th, the head of the Russian administration in the Luhansk region submitted a formal application to Putin, requesting that the region be incorporated into Russia.
invalid behavior
On Wednesday, September 28, Ukraine said that Moscow’s vote to join Russia in four Ukrainian regions was “invalid and meaningless”. And Kyiv will continue its efforts to liberate its lands occupied by Russian troops.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, also condemned the “referendums” on Wednesday. He called the actions “illegal” and “rigged”.
“This is yet another new violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within the framework of systematic human rights violations,” Borrell tweeted.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also condemned what he called a “sham referendum”. He called the referendums a “blatant violation of international law”.
to the front
On the military front, reserve forces mobilized in the Kaliningrad region in recent days have started combat exercises at the base of the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, September 28.
In a post on Telegram, the Ministry of Defense added, “All soldiers who have been mobilized will be subject to small arms fire standards. Meanwhile, citizens drafted from the reserve will be prepared to learn about the operation and maintenance of weapons and military and special equipment. Skill.”
In addition, the department has held training sessions to improve shooting skills and prepare soldiers to “work confidently on the battlefield.”
Last week, President Vladimir Putin ordered the first military mobilization since World War II. And that could lead to hundreds of thousands of soldiers being sent to fight in Ukraine.
Data from Western reports: 5,977 nuclear weapons (Al Jazeera)
Reinforce now
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s foreign ministry demanded a “substantial” increase in Western military aid. “Ukraine calls on the European Union, NATO and the G7 to immediately and massively increase pressure on Russia, especially through the imposition of new tough sanctions and a substantial increase in military aid to Ukraine,” the department said.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry also specifically requested “tanks, fighter jets, long-range artillery, and air and anti-missile defense systems.” In addition, it urged its international partners to impose tough new sanctions on Moscow, while providing more military aid to Kyiv. “Ukraine will never agree to any ultimatum,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Against this backdrop, U.S. officials said Tuesday that the U.S. is preparing a new weapons program worth $1.1 billion for Ukraine. And said the plan will be announced soon.
This batch will be the latest weapon Washington has provided to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russian troops were fighting in eastern Ukraine. The plan will be announced in the next few days, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A source familiar with the plan said the reinforcements would include the Seamaster missile system and its munitions, various types of anti-drone systems and radar systems, as well as spare parts, training and technical support.
So far, Washington has provided more than $15 billion in military aid in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.