Apparently, Moscow’s rule was endorsed in referendums in Ukraine where it has military control. Kremlin international pressure was not eased by the ballots.
In five days of Kremlin-organized voting, residents of all four occupied Ukrainian regions voted to join Russia Tuesday night. In Zaporizhzhya, 93% of ballots supported annexation, while 87% in Kherson, 98% in Luhansk, and 99% in Donetsk voted for it.
These occupied regions will be incorporated into Russia by Russian officials installed there. The administrative process was unclear. Western countries, however, dismissed the ballots as Moscow’s attempt to legitimize the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Thomas-Greenfield told reporters late Tuesday Washington would propose a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russian voting. In addition, the resolution calls for member states not to recognize Ukraine’s new status and for Russia to withdraw its troops.
Borrell called the ballots “illegal” and the results “falsified,” also weighing in on Wednesday. As part of systematic abuses of human rights, this is another violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Officials from the Ukrainian foreign ministry branded the results “propaganda” and “worthless.” Ukraine has requested military assistance from the EU, NATO, and the Group of Seven, as well as new sanctions against Russia.
The EU condemned the suspected sabotage Tuesday of two natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany and threatened retribution if such attacks occurred.
The leaks are likely a deliberate act, according to Borrell, who did not identify the perpetrators of the attacks.
Energy standoff between Russia and the EU.
The EU’s 27 members will take a strong and united response to any deliberate disruption of their energy infrastructure.
As a result of the Ukraine war, there has been an energy standoff between Russia and the EU.
Analysts say the pipeline damage makes it unlikely that gas will be delivered to Europe this winter.
In the meantime, Ukraine’s military and a Washington-based think tank say Russia is sending troops without training.
Russia has ordered a partial mobilization to replenish its ranks in response to Ukraine’s recent counteroffensive. A reluctant public is unrest over the effort.
Ukraine’s military general staff announced that a new unit of untrained troops added to Russia’s 2nd Motorized Rifle Division.
Ukraine military , prisoners to reinforce Russian Lines
According to the Ukrainian military, prisoners are arriving in Ukraine to reinforce Russian lines. Despite Ukrainian security services releasing audio of Russian phone conversations on this topic, the claim was lacking any evidence.
One 1st Tank Regiment member is visibly upset about not being trained before he shipped out to occupied Kherson.
Despite a day or two of training, mobilized men are unlikely to significantly reinforce Russian positions in the south and east.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has humiliated Moscow’s forces, is advancing slowly, the UK defense ministry reported.
Russia is currently strengthening its defenses.
Over the last 24 hours, Russian fire has killed five people in Donetsk, an eastern Ukrainian region that is partially occupied by Moscow.
Earlier this week, Russian rockets and artillery shelled the city of Nikopol in the south of Ukraine.
It also hit a school, power lines and other areas, said Valentyn Reznichenko, the head of the local military administration.
