The Russian Constitution already includes Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia as federal subjects

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Oct. 6 () –

Russia’s constitution already includes Ukraine’s Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions as subjects after President Vladimir Putin enacted accession treaties on Wednesday.

According to the new Magna Carta, Donetsk and Lugansk will retain their status as republics, while Zaporizhia and Kherson will be considered by Russia as regions, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The borders of Donetsk and Luganks will be those in force in 2014, when Moscow recognized their independence; while the territorial limits of Kherson and Zaporizhia will be those recognized until the moment Moscow confirmed their annexation.

Both Ukraine and the international community have rejected Putin’s announcement and have insisted that both the annexation and the referendums held days before in these occupied areas lack legitimacy under International Law.

In fact, the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, declared on Tuesday “null and void” the treaties signed on Friday by Putin to absorb the aforementioned regions into Russia. Thus, he underlined in a decree Ukraine’s “sovereign right” over the four regions claimed by Russia.