Blinken: The annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia "will never be recognized"

2022-09-28 19:15:17Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Blinken: The annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia "will never be
Antony Blinken

The union of the territories in the east and south of Ukraine with Russia will never be recognized, said the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The American reaction was made after the publication of the results of a referendum organized by Moscow in some regions of Ukraine that make up 15% of Ukraine's territory. The West has called the referendum a farce.

Officials stationed by Russia in Ukraine's Donetsk region have declared victory in a referendum on joining Russia with more than 99% of the vote in favor.

The four regions where the vote was taken: Donetsk and Luhansk in the east and Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south, make up about 15% of the Ukrainian territory.

"We dreamed about it in 2014 and acted on it. This is a historic day. We are uniting with our great motherland, with great Russia," said the leader of the self-proclaimed Republic of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, after the announcement of the results.

Ballot boxes were taken door-to-door by officials in what Ukraine and the West condemned as a farcical referendum to create a legal pretext for annexing four regions and justify Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons in defense of " territorial integrity" of Russia.

The West and Ukraine have made it clear that they will never recognize the results of the referendum.

"We will never recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia... Ukrainians will continue efforts to recover the occupied territory. We will continue to support them in this effort," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference with his Indian counterpart, Subrhamanyam Jaishankar.

"The crime of aggression against our country, the farce in the occupied territories that is called a referendum by the invaders, the preparation of a new attempt to annex the Ukrainian territory, all these are steps by which Russia has violated the UN Charter". said Ukrainian President Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president, without giving details, said that there is good news from the front, as Ukrainian forces are continuing to liberate the occupied lands.

Ukraine has repeatedly warned that Russian annexation of territories would destroy any chance of peace talks, while Ukrainians who helped Russia organize the vote will face charges of treason.


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