Russia claims 4 ‘new regions’ as Putin declares annexation in parts of Ukraine
Global News
Russia declared the annexations after holding what it called referendums in occupied Ukrainian areas. The West and Kyiv said the votes were coercive and unrepresentative.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had “four new regions” in a speech in the Kremlin on Friday in which he outlined Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow’s forces have partially seized during a seven-month conflict with Ukraine.
Russia declared the annexations after holding what it called referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine. Western governments and Kyiv said the votes breached international law and were coercive and unrepresentative.
Earlier on Friday, the Kremlin said that attacks against any part of annexed territory would be considered aggression against Russia itself, adding that Russia would fight to take the whole of the eastern Donbas region.
More to come.