The proxy Russian authorities in four occupied areas of Ukraine – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – announced on Tuesday, 20 September, their intentions to hold referendums between 23-27 September on joining the Russian Federation, a move that could sharply escalate the war, as informed by British media The Guardian.
Russia’s plans to hold sham referendums on occupied territories will not affect the position of President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Zelensky’s spokesman Serhii Nykyforov told Liga.net on Sept. 20. These «referendums,» instead, will negate the slightest possibility of ending the war through diplomacy, according to him. «All internationally-recognized Ukrainian territories will be liberated,» Nykyforov added.
Several world leaders have said they will not recognize any referendums or new annexations of Ukrainian territory.
EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Tuesday, 20 September, Russia’s attempt to legitimize its illegal military control over occupied Ukrainian territories and forcibly change Ukraine’s borders is a clear violation of the UN Charter and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Joe Biden will use his speech at the United Nations on Wednesday to rally the world to stand firm in the face of Russian plans to hold referendums in occupied parts of Ukraine and possibly introduce widespread conscription, which the US described as signs of desperation unlikely to halt Ukrainian military gains, informs news media The Guardian.
At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s plans to hold pseudo-referendums between 23–27 September to annex occupied Ukrainian territories. He said that «referendums» in regions that have been bombed by Russian troops are «a signature of cynicism.»
Latvia’s foreign affairs minister Edgars Rinkēvičs wrote on his Twitter account that international community must reject this move, more sanctions must follow and Ukraine must get more weapons to liberate its territory.
Apparently #Russia is moving ahead with organising fake referenda in the occupied territories of #Ukraine, international community must reject this move, more sanctions must follow and Ukraine must get more weapons to liberate its territory, we must say no to Russian blackmail
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) September 20, 2022
Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced a partial military mobilisation in Russia that starts on Wednesday, 21 September.
In a televised address to the nation, he said this was a necessary step to ensure Russian territorial integrity, as reported by BBC.
Meanwhile, UN’s human rights agency reported that as of 18 September, since the beginning of the war, at least 5,916 civilians were killed and at least 8,616 injured. UN’s human rights agency believes the actual figures are considerably higher because the information from some places, including Mariupol, Izium, Lysychansk, Popasna, and Sievierodonetsk, is delayed, and many reports of civilian casualties still need to be confirmed.
Russia has illegally deported more than 2 000 Ukrainian children, depriving them of parental care, Suspilne reported on Tuesday, 20 September, citing Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. While Ukrainian authorities are trying to return the kids, Russia prepares some of them for “adoption,” Vereshchuk said. On July 13, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there’s evidence that between 900,000 to 1.6 million Ukrainians have been forcibly deported to Russia.
Ninety-two percent of Ukrainians would like to see their country in the European Union, while 79% want it to join NATO by 2030.
Conscripts of Russia’s 25th Motorized Rifle Brigade based in the city of Luga, Leningrad Oblast, are being transferred to the town of Valuyki in Belgorod Oblast, as reported by Dozhd, a Russian independent TV channel.
According to the channel, Russia plans to transfer up to 400 conscripts from the brigade to Belgorod Oblast. Russian conscripts have been sent to the frontline in Ukraine before.
According to Bloomberg, new guidance by the European Commission says that the transfer of some Russian goods, including coal and related products, “should be allowed to combat food and energy insecurity around the world.” Poland and the Baltic countries have criticized the updated sanctions guidance during meetings between European ministers.