Russian President Vladimir Putin officially signed a treaty annexing the four occupied territories in Ukraine, saying, “Russia has four new territories”.
“Russia will use all means to defend its territory,” Putin said in a speech at the Kremlin ahead of the signing of the annexation treaty with the four occupied territories in Ukraine.
Russia will be annexing four regions in Ukraine: Eastern Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Lugansk (Ukrainian name Luhansk) People’s Republic (LPR), southern Zaporiza Oblast and Kherson Oblast.
According to reports, the area occupied by these territories is about 90,000 square kilometers, about 15% of the total territory of Ukraine and equivalent to all of Portugal.
These four regions decided to merge with Russia through a referendum for five days on the 23rd and 27th with a vote of 87-99% in favor of each region.
In response, Putin said, “It is in accordance with the right to self-determination guaranteed in the UN Charter.”
He urged Ukraine, “Russia is not going back to the Soviet Union. We are ready for dialogue. We must immediately stop military action and return to the negotiating table.”
In his speech, Putin placed great weight on condemning the United States and the West.
“The West is leading a hybrid war against Russia,” he said. “It is trying to colonize Russia.”
“The Western elite are, as always, colonialists,” he said.
In this regard, he said, “The United States occupies Germany, Korea, and Japan, but it is said to be an equal relationship.”
Regarding the recent Baltic gas pipeline damage and gas leak, it claimed that “Anglo-Saxon countries blew it up.”
After the speech, Putin signed the territorial annexation treaty, and legal procedures such as ratification of the House and Senate and the final signature of the president will be followed.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and the West have defined referendums as ‘fake votes’ and are pushing for additional sanctions against Russia.
Reporter Lee Bo-bae, Hankyung.com [email protected]