In Ukraine, in the republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, in the Donbass, and in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions, polls opened for the second day of voting for Referendum to join the Russian Federation: Consultation is not recognized by the majority of the international community. And the voting process, as TASS reports on Twitter, will continue until September 27. Meanwhile, Kyiv and the West described the vote as “fun“.
The Turkish presidential spokesman said that Turkey did not recognize the results of the mock referendum in Crimea in 2014 and has the same clear position on the mock referendums that Russia is conducting in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Ibrahim Kalin Ukrinform reports, citing CNN Türk. “We do not consider unilateral referendum attempts to be correct, since we did not recognize the Crimean referendum in 2014 and its results, and our position on these referendums is clear. We are aware of the territorial integrity of the Ukrainians and the state,” Kalin said. We are with Ukraine.
In an interview with Politico.eu President of the European Council Charles Michel said he supported “in principle” the hypothesis that Europe would open its gates to fleeing Russians.After the announcement of partial mobilization by Russian President Vladimir Putin. And Michel specified that the EU should show “openness to those who do not want to be taken advantage of by the Kremlin”.
We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, strongly condemn the false referendums that Russia is trying to use to create a false pretext to change the status of Ukrainian territorial sovereignty subject to the constant aggression of Russia. The G7 members wrote in a note. The report continues, “These acts clearly violate the Charter of the United Nations and international law, and go in the exact opposite direction of the rule of law between states.” “We will never recognize these referendums, which seem to be a step towards a Russian annexation, and we will never recognize an alleged annexation if it happens,” he added. This is what we read in the note From the G7 leaders on the Russian referendum in Ukraine. The “farce referendums” launched by Russia today “have no legal effect and legitimacy as evidenced by the hasty methods of their organisation, which in no way respects democratic norms, and by the blatant intimidation of the local population.”
We are ready to impose new economic costs on Russia, on individuals and entities inside and outside Russia, who provide political or economic support to Russia’s illegal attempt to change the status of Ukrainian territory.” This came in the statement of the leaders of the Group of Seven on the ongoing referendum in Ukraine.
“The Russian occupiers organized armed groups to surround homes and force people to participate in the so-called ‘referendum’. Citizens were threatened: ‘Those who do not vote will be automatically fired from work.’ September 23 and 27 (the dates on which the referendum on annexation to Russia will be held),” reported Ukrainian governor-in-exile Sergei Gaidai, the Guardian newspaper.
Moscow, for its part, says that the referendums in Donetsk (PRD) and Luhansk (PRL) (its alleged) and other regions comply with international standards and the UN Charter. The Chairman of the Russian Federation Council said: “The residents of the Democratic Revolution Party, the Palestinian People’s Party and the other liberated territories have this right, a legal right. And in the current situation it is the right to life.” Valentina Matvienko.
“For security reasons,” in the first four days of the referendum, residents of the four regions will be invited to vote near their homes, not at polling stations, or they will be driven around citizens’ homes, the Russian State Tax News Agency explains.
The Central Electoral Commission of Kherson region expects that about 750,000 people will participate in the vote, with half a million people registered as voters in the Zaporizhzhya region. Ballot papers for the referendum were printed for 1.5 million voters in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic (RPD). 450 polling stations are available in the republic and more than 200 in Russia for the population of the democratic republic. The Central Electoral Commission of the Democratic Republic opened 461 polling stations in the republic and 201 in Russia. According to the Zaporozhye region, 394 polling stations have been established in the region and another 102 polling stations in Russia. Citizens of the Kherson region can vote in any of the eight regional electoral commissions or 198 local electoral commissions, or they can do so in Crimea, Moscow or other Russian cities.
The international community considers the referendum to be “illegitimate”Even China has spoken out against it. Neither the vote nor the possible announcement of annexation by the Kremlin will be recognized by the world, but the potential repercussions for the conflict in Ukraine are frightening.
ANSA Agency
UN investigators in Ukraine have documented a wide range of crimes against minors, including cases of children “raped, tortured and unlawfully imprisoned” (ANSA)
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