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Ukrainian and Russian forces fought fierce fighting in various regions of Ukraine on Tuesday, as the referendums organized by Russia since Friday, in four regions that it hopes to annex, are nearing their end. These referendums are being held in the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine and the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions in the east. It angered Ukraine and its allies, as the Group of Seven countries announced “never recognition” of its results, while Washington vowed a “rapid and harsh” response by imposing new economic sanctions in the event of its annexation.
finish Russia Tuesday from organizing referendums in four regions that it controls in whole or in part in Ukraine Infuriating Kyiv andWestern countries Which promised a strong response in the event of its annexation. Ukrainian and Russian forces fought fierce fighting in various parts of Ukraine on Tuesday, as the Russian referendum entered its final day.
These referendums are taking place since Friday in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine and the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions in the east, which are under Russian occupation. Ukraine and its allies have denounced these “sham” referendums.
The G7 countries pledged to “never recognize” the election results, while Washington promised a “quick and harsh” response by imposing additional economic sanctions in the event of the annexation of these areas, as happened with the Crimea in March 2014.
China called on Moscow’s major partner to respect the “territorial integrity of all countries” without denouncing these referendums.
However, these criticisms and threats did not deter Moscow, which hastily organized last week these referendums against the backdrop of Ukrainian military gains, opening hundreds of polling stations in the four regions and in Russia for the displaced to vote.
The authorities confirmed that “provisional results” would be announced on Tuesday evening and in the following days. The Russian parliament will then vote on a law legalizing the annexation of the four regions to Russia.
In parallel, Moscow continues to partially mobilize reserve soldiers in order to recruit about 300,000 soldiers in order to participate in its invasion of Ukraine and to counter the Ukrainian counter-attack that, thanks to Western weapons supplies, has allowed to recover thousands of square kilometers since the beginning of September.
Parade attacks
Moscow announced the referendums after a Ukrainian counter-attack allowed Kiev to regain control of most of the country’s northeastern Kharkiv region.
After the withdrawal of Russian forces from these areas, the Ukrainian authorities announced the discovery of mass graves and graves, especially on a site containing more than 400 graves in a forest near the city of Izyum.
On Monday, investigators were preparing to unearth another supposed mass grave on an abandoned industrial farm near the small town of Kozachka Luban, where Russian and Ukrainian soldiers killed in the fighting may have been buried.
On the ground, Russian attacks have intensified with Iranian marches in recent days, especially over Odessa, which includes a large port on the Black Sea, where two “suicide bombers” aircraft struck military installations on Monday, causing a large fire and explosion of ammunition, according to what the Ukrainian military leadership announced.
And on Monday, the Ukrainian army announced that it had recorded Russian bombings of more than 40 cities and towns, and repelled attacks in about ten directions, including Solidar and Bakhmut in the east. Moscow, for its part, continued to assert that it incurred heavy losses to Kyiv.
And if the referendums lead to the annexation of these areas to Russia, which there is no doubt about, this will constitute an escalation of the conflict, especially since President Vladimir Putin has threatened nuclear strikes to defend what he considers Russian territory.
In Russia, Putin’s announcement of calling up part of the reserves prompted many Russians to leave the country with a rush on the borders, without being able to make estimates in numbers for this phenomenon.
FRANCE 24/AFP