The Kremlin: “We will liberate the entire territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic”

“The entire territory of the People’s Republic of Donetsk will be liberated within the 2014 borders.”

This was said this morning by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, a few hours before the signing of the treaties of annexation to Russia of the four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The Kremlin itself said that Russia would “de jure” incorporate parts of Ukraine that are not currently under the control of Russian forces. Of the four regions in which referendums have been held in recent days, only Luhansk and Kherson are largely controlled by Moscow, while Kiev retains control of large areas in northern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

Also in the morning, the so-called “People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR)” declared on Telegram that the first Russian troops affected by the partial mobilization had arrived in Donetsk. “The first soldiers called up for military service in the partial mobilization announced in Russia arrived in the area of ​​the special military operation, on the territory of the DPR. taking into account the experience of the battles of recent months.” Russia, Syria and North Korea are the only UN member states that have recognized the DPR as a legitimate authority. Russia is expected to announce the annexation of Donetsk, a territory it does not control. fully to the Russian Federation in a few hours.

UN and US: “Territorial annexations will lead to military escalation”

Bridget Brink, US ambassador to Ukraine, reiterated her country’s opposition to Russian territorial annexations, stating that “the fake referendums were a spectacle, an effort to mask a new attempt at land grabbing. We will never recognize the alleged annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia.” The UN Secretary-General also warned Russia that the annexation of the Ukrainian regions would mark a “dangerous escalation” that would jeopardize the prospects for peace in the region.