“The Russian occupiers have organized armed groups to surround homes and force people to participate in the so-called referendum” and “those who do not participate in the vote will automatically be fired from their jobs”. This complaint comes from Sergey Gaidai, Ukrainian governor of Lugansk in exile. The reference is to the referendums requested by Moscow in the People's Republics of Donetsk (RPD) and Lugansk (RPL) and in the territories conquered to be annexed to Russia.
In an interview with Guardian, Gaidai added that "the authorities have forbidden the local population to leave the city between September 23 and 27", the date of conclusion of the vote.
The location of Moscow…
The president of the Russian Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, instead declared that the referendums "comply with international standards and the United Nations Charter", and that "they will be held in such a way that no one will have reason to question their legitimacy. Residents of the DPRK, the RPL and other liberated territories have this right, a legal right. And in the current situation it is the right to life”.
…and the threats from the Kremlin
Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov said that "from the moment the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass join Russia", "the relevant provisions of the Russian Constitution" will enter into force. He means that any Ukrainian attacks will be considered "attacks on the country, in accordance with the Russian Constitution".
UN: US-Russia clash at the Security Council
Blinken's words
Meanwhile, at the UN Security Council on Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced what he called "the reckless Russian nuclear threats", accusing Putin of wanting to "tear the world order to pieces".
Lvarov's reply
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov responded by accusing "the US and its allies" of being a part of the conflict in Ukraine, which he said "is becoming a totalitarian state of the Nazi type". Lavrov walked out of the meeting after accusing Kiev and its Western allies of "impunity" in the Donbass.
China's appeal
China has called for a solution to the crisis through dialogue, saying it is ready to play a "constructive role" in mitigating the gravity of the situation. "We always advocate that the sovereignty and integrity of all countries should be respected, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and everyone's legitimate security concerns," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. .
