The Russian Senate approved the annexation projects of the Ukrainian regions

First modification: 04/10/2022 – 17:14

Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson were one step away from being part of the Russian Federation, according to Moscow regulations, after this Tuesday, October 4, the Senate unanimously ratified the validity of the annexation treaties signed by the president, Vladimir Putin, and the pro-Russian leaders of the regions in question.

The Upper House of Parliament endorsed the laws one by one, without any debate in between and the parliamentarians voted unanimously for the expansion process to continue its course after the Constitutional Court on Sunday and the Duma on Monday made the own.

With the approval of the Senate, the legislative bureaucracy of the incorporation documents was finished. For the annexations to come into force, it only remains for them to be promulgated by the leader of the Kremlin. these writings they establish the Russian language as the official language of the four regions – although it does not restrict the Ukrainian language – and establish the use of the ruble as the national currency.

This comes at a time when Russia’s control over disputed land has waned and miles have been ceded to Ukrainian troops in parts of Donetsk and the south. In fact, Senator Liudmila Naruzova highlighted this circumstance during the session, but the president of the Constitutional Legislation Committee replied that the Constitutional Court had endorsed the situation.

As before the Lower House, the person in charge of presenting the treaties to the parliamentarians was the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. During his appearance, the diplomat downplayed the West’s opinion regarding the authenticity of the annexations and spoke about “understanding the new reality.”

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For Ukraine, the referendums that were held in the four regions have no meaning, while the United States and the European Union have rejected them. Even allies of Moscow, such as China, Turkey or Serbia, do not recognize it as real either.

However, Lavrov maintained that “most countries” under their breath endorse Russia’s actions and validate the vote that was made in eastern Ukraine, but they do not say so publicly for fear of condemnation by the international community.

“I guarantee you, an overwhelming majority of countries understand perfectly well that we are right,” the diplomat said in the Senate. “Not everyone has the courage and strength to speak objectively and directly about it,” he added.

At the same time, although he stressed that “the truth will prevail”, he called it “absolutely essential” that the West approve the annexations.

Lavrov defended that the scenario “is based on the free will of the people” and criticized the efforts of Volodímir Zelenski and his predecessor, Petró Poroshenko, accusing them of not meeting the criteria of “equality and self-determination of peoples”.

The European Union, reluctant to accept the unions that the Kremlin wants

The European External Action Service (EEAS) contacted the charge d’affaires of the Permanent Representation of Russia to the European Union to express its rejection of the process of adhering the four Ukrainian regions to Moscow’s territory and urge him to reverse the situation.

Through a statement, the SEAE explained that its general director for Russia, Michael Siebert, met with Kirill Logvinov in the framework of the joint action that involves the 27 members to summon the Russian ambassadors in their territory to protest against the annexations.

Siebert remarked to the charge d’affaires of the Russian mission that they have “unwavering” support for kyiv, that they must withdraw troops “immediately” and that the European Union will never recognize the validity of the referendums.

With EFE and Reuters