Russia Reaffirms Its Position Four Years After Annexation Treaties for Four Ukrainian Regions

Dragon Media News Desk

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed its position on the treaties signed on September 30, 2022, to incorporate the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions into the Russian Federation. Marking the fourth anniversary, the ministry described the referendums held in those regions from September 23 to 27, 2022, as an exercise of self-determination by their residents.

According to figures released by the Russian side, 99.23 percent voted in favour of joining Russia in Donetsk, 98.42 percent in Luhansk, 93.11 percent in Zaporizhzhia and 87.05 percent in Kherson. The ministry also claimed that 133 international observers from several countries monitored the voting. Those figures and the assessment of the referendums’ legitimacy are Russia’s claims.

Russia says residents chose to join it for their security and cites the UN Charter and other international documents in support of its position on self-determination. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also told the UN General Assembly on September 26 that protecting people in Donbas and other areas remained an objective of Russian policy.

Ukraine maintains that the four regions are its sovereign territory. In a resolution adopted in 2022, the UN General Assembly rejected the referendums and Russia’s attempted annexation, while reaffirming Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. The territories’ status under Russian law therefore remains in conflict with the position expressed by the UN General Assembly.