The separatist leadership in the disputed Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine plans to vote this week on joining Russia. According to the authorities, the referendum will take place from September 23 to 27. It is seen as a response to the current Ukrainian counter-offensive. At the same time, internationally unrecognized mock referendums will be held in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and in the Kherson and Zaporizhia conflict zones in the south. Kiev immediately announced a violent response.
“The threat can only be averted by force,” the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, told the online network Telegram. The referendum announcement was “blackmail” by Moscow, which was driven by the “fear of defeat” in view of Ukraine’s territorial gains. Similarly, in 2014 Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. The vote was not internationally recognized. Recognition is not in sight this time either.
Earlier, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had pushed for a referendum to annex the separatist regions of Donbass in eastern Ukraine. This could bolster the Russian military offensive in the neighboring country. The referendums in Donbass are of great importance not only for the protection of the inhabitants, but also for the restoration of “historical justice,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.
“Use all means of self-defense”
According to Medvedev, a quick accession to Russia would prevent Ukraine from advancing because “intrusion into Russian territory is a crime,” he added. Moscow could use “all means of self-defense” for self-defense, the current deputy chairman of the Russian National Security Council stressed.
Russian commentators pointed out that this includes nuclear weapons. According to Russian political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya, Putin decided to hold the accession referendums after his initial plans to quickly take the areas failed. Once the areas are captured, he has the ability to defend the areas under threat of the use of nuclear weapons.
Concerns over Ukrainian successes
The pro-Russian authorities in Ukraine are calling for referendums on the union with Russia. The occupying forces’ concerns are heightened by the counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces in the northeast and south of Ukraine, where the Ukrainians have been able to recapture large areas. Senior pro-Russian representative in Donbass Denis Pushilin said on Tuesday that the separatist “republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk have been “actively” working on a vote to join Russia since Monday night.
Most recently, the Kremlin had to accept a painful defeat, as Russian forces almost completely withdrew from the Kharkov region after Ukrainian attacks. State propaganda warned of a possible devastating defeat in the war. The Kremlin could now be confident that it could use the referenda to mobilize the population at home – possibly even declare a state of defense. The Russian army in Ukraine is currently facing a personnel shortage. The military personnel deployed on a contract basis do not have sufficient resources for the war, which is still called “military special operations” in Moscow.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
