The annexation of four Ukrainian territories controlled by the Russian army was served on a platter yesterday, if it wasn't already, after preliminary results that were easy to predict. According to Russian agencies, at least 96% of voters would have agreed to be part of Russia in the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk (Donbass, eastern Ukraine), and in Kherson and Zaporizhia, southern regions close to Crimea, which Russia It was already annexed in 2014.
Ukraine and almost the entire international community deny legitimacy to these consultations, described as "fraud" or "fiction". The pro-Russian authorities of those territories summoned them last week to the race after the powerful counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army, which recovered almost all the ground that the Russians won in Kharkiv months ago.
The express referendums have been extended for five days for security reasons. "A vast majority of people support secession from Ukraine and joining Russia," said Vladimir Saldo, a pro-Russian chief in Kherson.
None of the four provinces is fully under Moscow's control, and in Donetsk and Zaporizhia no more than 60%. Even so, the pro-Russian authorities and Moscow defend that the vote affects the entire demarcation.
According to preliminary results released by Ria Nóvosti, in Kherson 96.97% voted for annexation. In Zaporizhia the positive vote rose to 98.19%. In Donetsk and Luhansk, it was somewhat less than 98%.
Now the annexation process must go quickly, according to Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov. Yesterday the president of the Russian Senate, Valentina Matviyenko, explained that this Chamber could debate the annexation on Tuesday, October 4. When the process is complete, the Kremlin will regard these territories as its own, and any attack on them an aggression against Russia itself.
Ukraine has accused Russia of holding the vote at gunpoint and says it will not change its strategy. "Ukraine has every right to liberate its territories and will continue to do so, whatever Russia says," said Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba.
One day after the express referendums were called, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a partial military mobilization to reinforce his troops in Ukraine with 300,000 reservists. An unpopular decision that has revived protests in Russia against the war and has caused the exodus of Russians who do not want to go into combat.
Thousands of Russians have sought border crossings to escape to neighboring countries by road. That has increased pressure on the border and poses serious problems for these countries, which had hoped not to be tainted by the Ukrainian conflict.
On the border with Georgia, the Vierjni Lars border crossing could not withstand the pressure yesterday and, although it can only be crossed by car, the Russian authorities allowed the thousands of people who formed a kilometric queue to cross the control on foot. According to the Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Republic of North Ossetia, since September 21, more than 115,000 people have crossed in both directions, 23.3% more than the figure for the previous week.
The situation is no less oppressive in Mongolia, where thousands of Russians have arrived and have had to wait for hours at the Kyajta checkpoint in the Buryatia region. Not even in Kazakhstan, where 98,000 Russians have arrived in the last week, according to the Ministry of the Interior of that Central Asian country. According to the opposition newspaper Nóvaya Gazeta.Evropa, citing sources from the Russian Presidential Administration, 260,000 men left Russia in four days.
Kazakh President Kassim-Khomart Tokáyev promised yesterday to protect Russians arriving in the country. Kazakhstan is a close ally of Russia, but has good relations with the West and China and tries to stay out of the conflict. Appealing to his own security and to the principle of territorial integrity, he has said that he will not recognize the results of the referendums.
