(Washington) Moscow could announce as early as this week one or more “illegitimate” referendums in occupied Ukraine, in an attempt to justify an annexation of Ukrainian territories to Russia, White House spokesman John Kirby.
Posted at 2:52 p.m.
“We have information that Russia continues to prepare mock referendums” in Kherson (south), in Zaporizhia, in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as in Kharkiv, said Mr. Kirby, spokesman of the executive for matters of national security.
“The Russian leadership has instructed to prepare for holding these referendums,” he added. “In fact, we expect a Russian announcement on the first or the first of these sham polls before the end of the week.”
“The United States and the international community have been very clear that any attempt to control sovereign territory of Ukraine will be considered illegitimate,” Kirby continued.
The United States expects Russia to “manipulate the results of these referendums to pretend that the Ukrainian people want to join Russia”, further accused the American spokesman. “It’s just plain wrong.”
He cited several polls carried out in recent months among the Ukrainian population in territory controlled by Kyiv, which show more than 90% of Ukrainians do not want an attachment to Russia.
President Joe Biden, who just announced a new round of military aid to Ukraine of nearly $3 billion, the largest yet, will speak by phone Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, announcing Mr Kirby.
“We will continue to mobilize the free world, to encourage our allies and partners to support Ukraine, which is defending its sovereignty,” he stressed.