Russia to formally annex four Ukrainian territories on Friday

Russia to formally annex four Ukrainian territories on Friday
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Update: 30 September 2022 11:59
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Russian President Putin will sign the accession treaties with four territories in a ceremony to be held in Kremlin Palace at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time

Russia is set to formally annex Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson on Friday.

The four occupied Ukrainian territories that have voted to join Russia, will be a part of the federation in a ceremony to be held in Kremlin Palace at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time, Russia’s state-run news agency TASS reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign the accession treaties with four territories, Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Ukraine’s four Russia-occupied regions said yes to joining Russia after five days of voting. Eastern Donetsk and Luhansk and southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which together make up around 15 percent of Ukrainian territory, voted in favor of annexation in referendums held between Friday and Tuesday. 

Following the announcement of the results of the referendums, vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on international community to “respond decisively to Russia's violation of international law and order.”

"I urge you to act now,” said Zelensky, during a videoconference meeting with the UN Security Council on late Tuesday, that convened at the initiative of Ukraine.

Following the signing ceremonies, Putin will give a major speech in the Russian parliament and a celebration concert is planned at the Red Square on Friday evening, according to Reuters.