The first partial results of votes in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine show that an overwhelming majority of residents support the union with Russia. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported this on Tuesday after mock referendums that are not recognized by Kiev and the West.
Voting took place over five days in four regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson – which make up about 15 percent of Ukraine’s territory.
The vote paves the way for President Vladimir Putin to annex the four territories. After that, Russia could portray any Ukrainian attempt to recapture them as an attack on Russia itself. On September 21, Putin said he was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia’s “territorial integrity”.
Ukraine has repeatedly warned that Russia’s annexation of more territories would destroy any chance of peace talks.
According to RIA Novosti, the first counts revealed majorities between 96.97 percent in the Kherson region, based on 14 percent of the votes counted, and 98.19 percent in Zaporizhzhya, based on 18 percent of the votes counted.
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.
