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| Ukraine war: West condemns Russian plans for 'sham' Ukraine vote | Ukraine war: West condemns Russian plans for 'sham' Ukraine vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Ukraine's allies said it would be impossible for Russian-backed officials to run legitimate polls in conflict-hit regions like Luhansk | Ukraine's allies said it would be impossible for Russian-backed officials to run legitimate polls in conflict-hit regions like Luhansk |
| Western nations have condemned Moscow's plans to hold urgent so-called referendums in parts of Ukraine that are currently under Russian control. | Western nations have condemned Moscow's plans to hold urgent so-called referendums in parts of Ukraine that are currently under Russian control. |
| The votes have been called by Russian-backed officials in four Ukrainian regions to ask whether they should become part of Russia. | The votes have been called by Russian-backed officials in four Ukrainian regions to ask whether they should become part of Russia. |
| The US, Germany and France have said they would never recognise the results of such "sham" ballots. | The US, Germany and France have said they would never recognise the results of such "sham" ballots. |
| The Nato military alliance said the plans spelt an escalation in the war. | The Nato military alliance said the plans spelt an escalation in the war. |
| Plans to run polls for five days, starting on Friday, have been announced in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk - as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south. | Plans to run polls for five days, starting on Friday, have been announced in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk - as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south. |
| The quartet represent around 15% of Ukrainian territory - or an area the size of Hungary, according to Reuters news agency. | The quartet represent around 15% of Ukrainian territory - or an area the size of Hungary, according to Reuters news agency. |
| The suggestion that legitimate and fair polls could be run in the middle of a war were immediately scorned by the West. | The suggestion that legitimate and fair polls could be run in the middle of a war were immediately scorned by the West. |
| German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blasted the Russian plans for "sham" votes, while French President Emmanuel Macron labelled them a "parody" of democracy. | German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blasted the Russian plans for "sham" votes, while French President Emmanuel Macron labelled them a "parody" of democracy. |
| "If the Donbas referendum idea wasn't so tragic it would be funny," Mr Macron told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. | "If the Donbas referendum idea wasn't so tragic it would be funny," Mr Macron told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. |
| He pleaded with neutral countries to change their stance to the war, saying silence or complicity was an "historic error". | |
| US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the US would never recognise the votes, calling them "an affront to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity". | US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the US would never recognise the votes, calling them "an affront to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity". |
| Any referendum planned by invading forces contravenes international law and will have no legal force, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement. | Any referendum planned by invading forces contravenes international law and will have no legal force, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement. |
| Sham referendums have no legitimacy & do not change the nature of #Russia’s war of aggression against #Ukraine. This is a further escalation in Putin’s war. The international community must condemn this blatant violation of international law & step up support for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/NdcN3tO6Sy | Sham referendums have no legitimacy & do not change the nature of #Russia’s war of aggression against #Ukraine. This is a further escalation in Putin’s war. The international community must condemn this blatant violation of international law & step up support for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/NdcN3tO6Sy |
| Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his partners for their support in the face of Russia's "noisy news". | Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his partners for their support in the face of Russia's "noisy news". |
| Mr Zelensky is expected to address the UN General Assembly by video-link later on Wednesday. | Mr Zelensky is expected to address the UN General Assembly by video-link later on Wednesday. |
| There were reports that Russia's President Vladimir Putin would give his own, rare address on Tuesday evening - potentially discussing the planned votes, or a wider troop mobilisation in Ukraine. But no speech came, and speculation shifted to Wednesday. | There were reports that Russia's President Vladimir Putin would give his own, rare address on Tuesday evening - potentially discussing the planned votes, or a wider troop mobilisation in Ukraine. But no speech came, and speculation shifted to Wednesday. |
| The plans to hold votes within a matter of days is widely seen as a push by Mr Putin to accelerate Russia's annexation of Ukraine. | The plans to hold votes within a matter of days is widely seen as a push by Mr Putin to accelerate Russia's annexation of Ukraine. |
| It comes after a sweeping Ukrainian counter-offensive, in which Kyiv claims to have retaken 8,000 sq km (3,088 sq miles) this month, putting Russia on the back foot. | |
| Why is Russia calling 'votes' in occupied Ukraine? | Why is Russia calling 'votes' in occupied Ukraine? |
| Who is winning the war? | Who is winning the war? |
| Cementing its control over Ukrainian land could enable Russia to make the claim that its territory - not just its army - was coming under attack from Western weapons as hostilities continue. This is because several western nations have been supplying Ukraine with weapons to help in its defence. | Cementing its control over Ukrainian land could enable Russia to make the claim that its territory - not just its army - was coming under attack from Western weapons as hostilities continue. This is because several western nations have been supplying Ukraine with weapons to help in its defence. |
| It is feared that this could lead to an intensification of the already-bloody conflict. | It is feared that this could lead to an intensification of the already-bloody conflict. |
| The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross has expressed fears the war could move into the long term. | |
| Responding to the recent discovery of more mass graves in Ukraine, Peter Maurer told the BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet that reconciliation was becoming ever more difficult. | |
| Pro-Russian leaders in the four Ukrainian regions have supported the referendums. | Pro-Russian leaders in the four Ukrainian regions have supported the referendums. |
| The head of the Russian proxy administration in Luhansk, Leonid Pasechnik, said it was "our common dream and our common future". | The head of the Russian proxy administration in Luhansk, Leonid Pasechnik, said it was "our common dream and our common future". |
| The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that the votes would restore "historical justice" and be irreversible. | The deputy head of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that the votes would restore "historical justice" and be irreversible. |
| Russian proxy administrations have operated in Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014. Both were controversially recognised as independent by Mr Putin three days before he launched his invasion on 24 February. | Russian proxy administrations have operated in Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014. Both were controversially recognised as independent by Mr Putin three days before he launched his invasion on 24 February. |
| The subsequent onslaught saw Russia take full control of Luhansk for a time - although Ukraine has now reclaimed some territory. | The subsequent onslaught saw Russia take full control of Luhansk for a time - although Ukraine has now reclaimed some territory. |
| The latest moves to call for "referendums" has echoes of Russia's annexation of the southern peninsula of Crimea in 2014. | The latest moves to call for "referendums" has echoes of Russia's annexation of the southern peninsula of Crimea in 2014. |
| A vote was also called there in an attempt to legitimise Moscow's rule, however that vote, too, was labelled illegal and condemned by the international community. | A vote was also called there in an attempt to legitimise Moscow's rule, however that vote, too, was labelled illegal and condemned by the international community. |