Tomorrow the signing of the “agreements sanctioning” the entry into Russia of four Ukrainian regions will take place in the Kremlin: Donetsk and Lugansk, headquarters of the self-proclaimed breakaway republics in the east of the country, and then Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, located in the south. The announcement was made by Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The formal Russian annexation of these territories follows a four-day referendum that saw the victory of the “yes” to inclusion in Russia’s territory.
The validity of the consultations is currently only recognized by Moscow, while the United States and the European Union have openly challenged their legitimacy. Brussels also announced a new round of sanctions against Russia, precisely in response to the organization of the referendums. Peskov, quoted by the Moscow news agency Tass, announced that an “important speech” by President Vladimir Putin is also scheduled for the ceremony. The Russian president has summoned the State Duma deputies to the Kremlin for Friday: the appointment is for 3 pm Moscow time (when it will be 2 pm in Italy).
Meanwhile, the leaders of pro-Russian authorities in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and in the Russian-occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions are already in Moscow to apply for Russia’s formal membership after the referendums. “The historic flight with the leaders of the liberated territories landed in Moscow. It is history, and with a happy ending”, commented the number two of the military and civil administration of Kherson, Kiril Stremusov, in a message on Telegram accompanied by photographs. “The regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, met in Moscow to take a historic decision. Very soon we will become new subjects of the Russian Federation. We will say that soon, but it will already be a very changed country and a completely different story,” explained Stremusov.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
