started 219 days ago Ukraine The invasion did not progress as desired, and its troops in the field suffered significant losses in recent weeks. Russia President Vladimir Putin took an important step that would change the course of the war yesterday and officially annexed Kherson, Zaporozhye, Donetsk and Lugansk. 60 percent of the territory of this region is currently under Russian military control.
GIVEN INDEPENDENCE FIRST
On the night before announcing the annexation of the four regions, Putin recognized Zaporozhye and Kherson as “independent” territories, as he had done for Donetsk and Lugansk just before the invasion on February 24. Thus, before the annexation ceremony was held in the Kremlin Palace, the four regions were assumed to be independent from Kiev for Russia. In these regions, a referendum was held for 5 days on whether the accession to Russia was approved or not, war More than 90 percent of the referendums held in the shadow of the referendum, which no one but Moscow knew, were in favor of annexation.
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CONDITIONAL PEACE OFFER
“Today, Russia has four more regions,” said Putin, who took the podium yesterday in St George’s Hall, the largest room in the palace, to announce that the annexation had become official. Stating that the results of the referendum are “permanent”, the Russian leader said, “The people of Zaporozhye, Kherson, Donetsk and Lugansk will forever be citizens of Russia.” In his most striking message, Putin said, “I call on Kyiv and the West to end the war by respecting the choice made by the people through the referendums. We invite Kiev to negotiations”. However, he stressed that the annexed lands would not be the subject of negotiations. Continuing his speech, Putin accused the West of trying to “divide Russia into small states” and promised to protect the new lands until the end. Putin also stated that “pure satanism is practiced in the name of liberal values” in the West.
SABOTAGE STRESS
Referring to Nord Stream in his speech, Putin said, “Sanctions were not enough for the West. They started sabotage by making explosions in Nord Stream” and blamed Western countries for 4 leaks thought to have occurred as a result of sabotage in Nord Stream pipelines.
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BIRTHDAY GIFT
During the ceremony, which took place three days after the closing of the referendum ballot boxes, Putin’s words were often interrupted by applause from the audience. For the ceremonies, which also set up a stage on the famous Red Square, the appointees of the four regions of Russia were present in Moscow and signed the participation certificates. Now the text of the decision will be approved by the constitutional court and the parliament, respectively. This process is aimed to be completed by October 7, Putin’s birthday.
FAST MEMBERSHIP TO NATO
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski replied, “We can only sit at the table with another Russian leader,” to Russian leader Putin’s suggestion that “We are ready to negotiate peace”. “As for the proposal for peace talks. Putin, the current leader of Russia, does not know what honor and dignity are. If we are going to sit at the negotiating table with Russia one day, it will not be with Putin, we can sit at the table with the leader later on,” he said. Zelenski also stated that they “signed the application for accelerated accession to NATO” and said, “De facto, we have proven our compliance with the alliance standards”. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that on Ukraine’s membership, “Ukraine has the right to choose what kind of security order it will enter”, and that a consensus of 30 member states in the alliance is required for possible membership.
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MESSAGE WITH SHEIKH SHAMIL
Meanwhile, in front of Sheikh Shamil’s house in Kiev, Zelensky addressed minorities and Muslims in Russia, saying, “They are lying to you about the death toll. All of these people died because one person wanted it. “You don’t have to die in Ukraine,” he said. Sheikh Shamil fought for the independence of the Caucasus by standing against Russia in the 19th century.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW
The lands that Putin declared annexed to his country constituted an important land barrier between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014. Together with Crimea, these five regions correspond to 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory. Ukrainian forces have made gains in these areas with their counterattacks in recent weeks. Now Moscow sees these as its territory and threatens to resort to any means, including nuclear, for its defense. Those living in the annexed region are probably waiting for the following developments:
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* Russian curriculum will be adopted in schools. Since the war continues, there is no formal education in the current situation.
* In all 4 regions, the Russian ruble was in use for a while, now the Ukrainian currency will gradually go out of circulation.
* Russian telephone lines and passport will be used.
* In Zaporozhye, where the capital is currently under the control of Kyiv, the capital will be moved to Melitopol.
* The Russian media claimed that the 4 regions may be a single federal region that will be united under the umbrella of Crimea in the future. Putin noted yesterday that the 4 regions will be separate administrative units for now.
* It is thought that approximately 1.5 million people remain in 4 regions. It has been announced that these people will be given financial aid, but the details are not clear.
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* They will be subject to Russian law. In this case, it is possible that they will be enlisted in the Russian army as part of the mobilization.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FROM CRIMEA?
When Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, there was a very different environment in Ukraine than it is today. In Kiev, the army did not know what to do, as the rule of Viktor Yanukovych had just been overthrown. In this astonishing atmosphere, Putin’s soldiers captured the peninsula in three days without firing a single bullet. Ukrainian soldiers in the Crimean barracks were also disarmed and pushed out of the peninsula. At that time, the West remained unresponsive to this initiative, except for the economic sanctions. Now the situation is very different. The war continues in the four regions that were annexed yesterday. The border line between the parties is determined from scratch every day.
THE EUROPEAN FRONT: NEW SANCTIONS ENTER
* Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories was the most extensive development of forcible land seizures in Europe since World War II.
* The EU and NATO, which do not recognize the Crimea annexed by Russia as Russian territory, will continue to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by not recognizing new regions.
* The EU, which will hold Russia responsible for the annexations, will come up with new sanctions and restrictive measures. Condemning the annexation of the four regions, the EU said in a statement, “These decisions are null and void and have no legal consequences.”
* NATO, similar to the EU, considers it a legitimate right for Ukraine to try to defend itself against Russian aggression. NATO allies remain committed to maintaining political and practical support for Ukraine.
* At the current stage, the EU and NATO are trying to measure the practical reflections of the messages from Russia, “An attack on these lands is deemed to have been made against Russia” and “We will defend ourselves with all means, including nuclear” on the field. (Guven OZALP / BRUSSELS)
US FRONT: WE NEVER RECOGNIZE THE Annexation
U.S. President Joe Biden, who clearly stated that he did not recognize the annexation referendums as “fraud”, said, “I want to be clear about this. “The United States will never, ever, ever recognize Russia’s territorial claim on Ukraine,” he said.
‘WE WILL SEND DIVERS FOR NORTH CURRENT’
Biden also noted that divers will be sent to the region to examine the leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea, and “to understand exactly what happened.” After the annexation decision, the USA quickly put new sanctions into effect. US Treasury Department sanctions list, Russia the central bank It was extended with names that included its President and almost all members of the lower house of parliament, the Duma. “We are working on new sanctions against Russia with our allies and partners,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. (Razi CANIKLIGIL/NEW YORK)
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