A volunteer hands out pamphlets with the message "With Russia Forever," during the campaign for the referendum to join the Russian Federation, in Lugansk, Ukraine. Photo: EFE.
Ukraine labels Brazil, Venezuela and Uruguay as “criminals” for having acted as observers in the referendum held in areas controlled by Russia in the Donbass region.
On Tuesday, September 27, a statement was issued that read, “Partners in crime are also criminals,” by the so-called Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, threatening to punish independent observers who participated in the vote on the accession to Russia.
On Tuesday, the referendum came to a close in the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (east) and in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia (south), liberated by the Russian Federation during its military operation that has been taking place since February on this Ukrainian territory with a majority Russian-speaking population.
Despite Kiev’s rejection and threats from its Western allies not to recognize the results of the vote, the residents of these four areas, which together make up around 18% of Ukraine’s territory, have voted to become an integral part of Russian territory and leave Ukraine.
The note lambasted Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Belarus, Syria, Egypt, Togo and South Africa for sending independent observers to the popular consultations and warned that the presence of the electoral observers makes then complicit “in a collective crime against the sovereign and independent state of Ukraine.”
The so-called Ukrainian Ministry of Reintegration also urged the country’s law enforcement forces to persecute these observers and question “the legitimacy of the entry, stay and carrying out of any activity” by these people in areas controlled by Russia.
The note ended with a warning that: “Anyone who dares indulge criminals becomes a criminal themselves! There is no escaping responsibility!”
According to Russian media, the referendums were held in a calm environment and without any presence of the Russian military. Independent observers from 45 countries were present in the process and all confirmed that the vote was carried out with a high level of participation, and without any incidents such as double votes, lack of ballots or materials or irregularities in the counting of votes.
Observers also reported that, in some districts, the Ukrainian armed forces were recorded intimidating residents and coercing them not to participate in the process. They also denounced the strong media campaign against Russia by Ukrainian and Western media.
Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin has sworn to protect pro-Russians in liberated areas, denounced on Tuesday before the United Nations Security Council the pressure being applied on other countries, from the EU and US, to ignore the voting results.
The West has threatened to tighten sanctions on Russia if it finally annexes the Ukrainian territories, while Kiev has promised to continue the fight until Russian troops are defeated.
(HispanTV)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/DD
