Russia's referendum results in eastern Ukraine have been called a "farce" by Volodymyr Zelensky who has vowed to keep on fighting despite the nuclear threat from Vladimir Putin
President Volodymyr Zelensky has blasted as a "farce" the referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine where 99% voted to join Russia and vowed to continue fighting to reclaim the land that has been lost despite a nuclear threat. Russian-installed officials in four occupied regions of Ukraine reported huge majorities of votes in favor of joining Russia as the United States planned a UN resolution condemning the referendums as shams. There is a fear now that Vladimir Putin could use nuclear weapons to defend the regions if he claims that an attack on them is an attack on Russia itself. But Zelensky said that the elections could never be seen as legitimate. "This farce in the occupied territories cannot even be called an imitation of a referendum," Zelensky said in a nightly video address.
He said Ukraine would defend its people still living under occupation in the four areas where votes were held - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions - and in parts of Kharkiv region still under occupation. The president also said there would soon be good news from the front, but offered no details for the moment. "We are advancing and will liberate our land," he added. A hastily arranged referendum took place over five days in the eastern regions and vote tallies from complete results on Tuesday in the four provinces ranged from 87% to 99.2% in favor of joining Russia, according to Russia-appointed officials.
The head of the upper house of the Russian parliament said the chamber might consider annexation on October 4. "The results are clear. Welcome home, to Russia!," Dmitry Medvedev, a former president who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said on Telegram.
