The last day of mock referendums began on Tuesday in the Moscow-occupied territories of Ukraine. The residents of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya have until 3 p.m. CEST (4 p.m. local time) to vote on joining the Russian Federation. The alleged referendum has been criticized as a violation of international law.
The fake referendums are not recognized worldwide because they are held in violation of Ukrainian and international laws and without minimum democratic standards. In the Luhansk region, authorities reported renewed fire from multiple rocket launchers on the city of Alchevsk. Still, all polling stations are open, it said. Russian state television has been showing people in the occupied territories for days who are happy that they will soon be part of Russia. Independent media, on the other hand, criticize that people would vote under pressure and at gunpoint.
80 to 90 percent approval expected
The occupation authorities are expected to announce the results of the fake referendum on Tuesday evening. Approval for entry into the Russian Federation should then probably be around 80 to 90 percent. After that, the separatist leadership wants to officially apply to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin for admission to Russian territory. The Kremlin had announced that this could happen soon – Putin could address the nation in a speech as early as Friday.
Under the protection of nuclear power Russia
Even the British Ministry of Defense does not rule out the possibility that Putin could formally announce on Friday that the occupied Ukrainian territories will be incorporated into the Russian Federation. Putin will deliver a speech to both houses of parliament that day. According to the ministry’s daily situation report, there is a “realistic possibility” that Putin will use the speech to officially announce the confession. This is based on findings from British military intelligence.
Before the sham referendum, President Putin had emphasized that the areas would then be fully protected by the nuclear power Russia. He warned Ukraine that if the shelling of the areas continued, Moscow would consider it an attack on Russian territory and defend itself with all available means. In 2014, Russia illegally annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine.
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.
