The Russian Federation Council on Tuesday ratified the annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. On Monday, the Russian State Duma had also ratified the annexation of these Russian-held Ukrainian territories. Once the documents have been ratified by the Federation Council, Vladimir Putin can promulgate the federal law. The Kremlin leader signed last Friday the annexation documents. The four regions recently hosted referendums that were not recognized by the international community. Russia is the only country to have recognized the independence of these so-called republics on the territory of Ukraine and subsequently accepted their requests to join the Russian Federation. Western governments and Kyiv say the referendums were in breach of international law, were held in coercive circumstances and lacked representation.
Eugen Cojocariu – Radio Romania International
