Preliminary results indicate a strong vote for unification with Russia
Military | Ukraine | Russia
FACT BOX: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson republics combined account for around 15% of the current Ukrainian land mass.
The republics of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson have been taking part in a four day referendum, asking the public to vote on whether to remain under Ukrainian rule or unify with Russia.
The international community which often does not see eye to eye on such matters, did not recognise Catalonia’s referendum to break free of Spain, did not recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s referendums to leave Georgia and join Russia, but a small section did recognise Crimea’s unification with Russia and a notable minority of countries did recognise Kosovo’s attempts to unilaterally break from Serbia. With the latest unification efforts with Russia, the overwhelming majority of nations has stated they will not recognise any referendum results. However, as with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognition changes little on the ground, where Russian currency, passports, language, education, taxes and rule are already in force.
The four latest regions likely to unify with Russia equate to around 15% of Ukraine’s current total land mass, and make up the majority of the Ukrainian coast line.
Initial preliminary vote counting:
Kherson Republic: 14% of the vote is counted with the vote so far being 96.7% in favour of unification.
Zaporizhzhia Republic: 18% of the vote is counted with the vote so far being 98.19% in favour of unification.
There has been wide spread international calls for ceasefire coming from traditional allies of Russia including India and China. Allies such as Kazakhstan and Belarus have suggested they may not recognise the latest unification efforts due to the referendum being conducted during a time of war, something that the United Nations charters do not permit.
Unification with Russia however, would allow Russia under its own domestic laws, to increase the available military options at its disposal to defend what would domestically be seen as its own territory.
Russia and Ukraine recently took part in a 300 person prisoner swap which saw foreign fighters from the UK and Georgia who were being held on death row, returned to their native countries in exchange for Russian troops being released by Ukrainian forces.
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© 2022 Al-Sahawat Times, Printed and Distributed by IPMG, an Al-Said Group entity.
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