Friday afternoon, Russia declared it would formally annexe the Ukrainian territory it has taken (Saturday NZT). The statement came after allegedly pro-Moscow referendums that were rigged and illegally conducted, according to the Ukrainian government and the West, were held.
According to spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony in the Kremlin when four areas of Ukraine will be formally merged into Russia.
Peskov stated that during the ceremony at the Kremlin’s St. Georges Hall, the pro-Moscow regional leaders will sign agreements to become part of Russia.
The formal annexation was widely anticipated after Moscow announced that after Tuesday’s voting was over, people of the seized territories overwhelmingly favoured their places becoming part of Russia.
Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock joined other Western leaders in calling the polls a fraud on Thursday.
She stated at a seminar in Berlin that this is the antithesis of free and fair elections.
During the five days of voting, armed troops went door to house with election officials to collect votes.
The four areas of southern and eastern Ukraine with Moscow-installed governments asserted Tuesday night that annexation was supported by 93% of votes cast in Zaporizhzhia, 87% in Kherson, 98% in Luhansk, and 99% in Donetsk.
After humiliating military defeats in Ukraine, a trapped Russian leadership portrayed the curiously large percentages in favour as a land grab.
The United States supports Ukraine’s claim that it has the right to recapture the regions, and it has rejected the referendums.
The criticism has had little impact on the Kremlin.
Following significant combat setbacks caused by Ukraine’s counteroffensive this month, Russia threatened it could turn to nuclear weapons and announced it would mobilise 300,000 reserve soldiers to fight.
However, a Washington-based research tank and British intelligence claim that the Russian mobilisation attempts have been disorganised so far and that authorities are straining to stop tens of thousands of men of combat age from fleeing the nation.
According to a British intelligence estimate, more men of military age are reportedly leaving Russia than Moscow employed to invade Ukraine in February.
The research stated that “the better off and well educated are overrepresented amongst those trying to escape Russia.”
“The domestic economic impact of less labour availability and the accelerating “brain drain” is anticipated to become more pronounced when joined with those reservists who are being mobilised.
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At several borders, kilometer-long lineups formed, and according to reports, Moscow set up draught offices to detain some of those attempting to flee.
In several Russian regions, the partial mobilisation has also led to demonstrations and isolated acts of violence. .
On Saturday, Russia will take 4 of the occupied areas of Ukraine.
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