Jakarta –
President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that residents of Moscow-controlled territory in Ukraine expressed their desire to be a part of Russia in recent local elections. Putin reaffirmed last year’s referendum that Western countries condemned as illegal.
Reported by Reuters, Sunday (1/10/2023), in a video speech released on the first anniversary of Russia’s controversial announcement that it would annex four Ukrainian regions, Putin said the choice to join Russia was strengthened by local elections this month that returned elected officials. supports Russian annexation.
“Just like a year ago in a historic referendum, the people once again expressed and confirmed their desire to stand with Russia and support their compatriots who, through hard work and concrete actions, have proven worthy of the people’s trust,” Putin said.
Putin reiterated his stance that Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine saved society from nationalist leaders in Kyiv who had launched a “full-scale civil war” and “terror against those who think differently.”
On September 30, 2022, parts of four Ukrainian regions, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, were officially incorporated into Russia after a referendum that Moscow said resulted in majority support.
Western countries viewed the results as meaningless and illegal annexation, backed by mass coercion of voters. Russian troops do not control any territory in full.
Ukrainian forces, aided by Western weapons, withstood initial Russian attempts to attack Kyiv and the war shifted to Russian-controlled areas in the East and South. Ukrainian forces in June launched a counteroffensive to retake the territory.
(rfs/rfs)
2023-09-30 22:34:23
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