Disclosure of the decree signature… A unilateral declaration has already been made before the invasion of Donbass
Putin signs annexation treaty with four self-proclaimed independent states in Ukraine today
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared Kherson and Zaporiza Oblasts in Ukraine as independent states.
According to Archyde.com, President Putin signed a proclamation on the 29th (local time) to recognize an independent state as a preliminary procedure for annexing these regions into his territory.
The signing was made ahead of the signing ceremony for the annexation treaty with the four Ukrainian states, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporiza and Kherson, to be held at the Kremlin on the 30th.
Russia’s state-run Sputnik news agency reported that the announcement of the decree was published on the official online portal on the 30th.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 of this year and occupied these areas.
Before the invasion, Putin declared the independence of Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast) in eastern Ukraine occupied by pro-Russian rebels.
Russia invaded Ukraine under the pretext of protecting the pro-Russian people of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic and Lugansk (Luhansk) Republic.
Pro-Russian local governments in the four provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporiza recently passed a referendum on whether to annex Russia with an overwhelming majority of around 90%, and then asked President Putin to approve the annexation.
Western countries, including the United States, claim that referendums have been rigged and that the forced annexation of war-occupied territories is ineffective because it violates international law, including the UN Charter.
The West is pushing for additional sanctions against Russia by holding them responsible for the annexation process.
Irrespective of this, Russia is arbitrarily carrying out the process of territorial incorporation of these regions in accordance with its laws.
Once the treaty of annexation of Russia and the Russian occupied territories in Ukraine is signed, the process of ratification of the Russian Federation’s Senate and House of Representatives and the final signature of President Putin will proceed.
Russia is in the process of incorporation of the four occupied territories in the same procedure as when it occupied and annexed Crimea in Ukraine in 2014.
In the case of the annexation of Crimea, all the incorporation procedures were completed within six days after the referendum.
The international community generally does not recognize Crimea as Russian territory.
The United States and the European Union (EU) continue to impose economic sanctions on Russia, considering the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and holding it accountable.
/yunhap news