While neither the mock referendums nor the now-announced annexation of the Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine are internationally recognized, the leadership in Moscow is celebrating the regions’ return “to their historic homeland”. “Welcome home,” Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin said in a televised speech to thousands of Russians in Moscow’s Red Square on Friday night. “The victory will be ours,” he added, referring to the conflict with Ukraine.
Some visitors waved Russian flags, an AFP reporter noted. Some people also wore the black and orange St. George’s ribbon. The former Tsarist military decoration later became a symbol of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany. “We have become stronger because we are together,” said Putin, whose speech was broadcast on several large screens. He spoke of a “special, historic day of truth and justice”. The Russian soldiers “heroically defended the people’s choice” in Ukraine.
At the same time, the Russian head of state, whose partial mobilization of the armed forces and the current absorption of Ukrainian territories is considered a “weakness” by NATO, assured: “We will do everything we can to protect our brothers and sisters in Zaporizhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk , in support of their Improved security, restart the economy, rebuild.” Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Friday evening: “This is an acknowledgment that the war is not going according to plan and that Putin has completely failed in his strategic goals.”
Missile attack on convoy: number of casualties increases
Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 30 after a rocket attack on a civilian car convoy in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya. Another 88 people were injured, police said. The governor of Zaporizhzhya’s regional administration, Olexander Starukh, blamed Russian troops for the attack. The information cannot be independently verified. The convoy was shelled as it left the city to enter the territory occupied by Russian troops.
People would have wanted to pick up relatives there and bring help. Rescue workers and paramedics are on the scene, Staruch said. Photos showed a crater next to damaged cars. People lay in pools of blood next to the vehicles, others slumped behind the wheel – the dead were covered with makeshift cloths. Rescuers tried to calm a woman in tears, according to a recording.
The head of the Russian occupation administration for the Zaporizhzhya region, Vladimir Rogov, accused Ukrainian troops of shelling the convoy on his Telegram channel. According to Rogov, 23 people were killed and 34 were injured when they tried to enter the Russian-controlled area.
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.
