Serbia will not recognise results of ‘referendums’ on ‘LDPR’ and occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine entering Russia

Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković declared that the country would not recognise the results of the “referendums” on the Luhansk and Donetsk “people’s republics” and the occupied territories of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions joining Russia, Russia’s state news agency TASS reports, citing Selaković.

“The Republic of Serbia, in accordance with the UN Charter as well as generally accepted principles and norms of international law, cannot accept the results of the referendum in the Ukrainian regions,” he said.

He added that “referendums” contradicted state and national interests of Serbia and were “entirely contrary to the national policy of preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty and adherence to the principle of immutability of borders”.

On 20 September, heads of the self-proclaimed “LPR” and “DPR” as well as the occupation “authorities” of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions announced the referendums on the territories joining Russia that would be held from 23 to 27 September.

“Do you support leaving Ukraine, forming a separate country, and joining Russia?” is the ballot question in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

The first four days, the vote will take place in people’s homes, and only on the last day, 27 September, polling stations will open in the territories. Videos from residential buildings in the Zaporizhzhia region show that members of the election commission go to the people’s places together with armed men. The Central Election Commission of Russia also opened polling stations on the territory of Russia proper.