‘Referendum’ results are in: Donetsk and Luhansk ‘people’s republics’, occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions vote in favour of joining Russia

The occupation “governments” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” (“DPR” and “LPR”), as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine, have published the final results of the “referendums” on joining Russia.

The “DPR” stated that with 100% of the ballots counted, 99.23% voted in favour of joining Russia. The voter turnout reached 97.51%. The “LPR” stated that 98.42% voted in favour of joining Russia with a 92.6% turnout.

The pro-Russian “officials” of the occupied area of the Zaporizhzhia region announced that 93.11% voted in favour with an 82.40% turnout. The Kherson regional “government” reported that 87.05% had voted in favour, with the turnout reaching 76.86%.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the “referendums” as a farce: “This farce in the occupied territory cannot even be called an imitation of referenda. We knew in advance what would be drawn instead of the result. Even intelligence didn't have to work very hard. The agreed figures for this farce were thrown into the media. Russia is not even hiding,” he stated.

Russia’s recognition of the “sham referendums” and its new attempt to annex Ukrainian territory means that Ukraine will have nothing to discuss with the Russian president, Zelensky said during the UN Security Council session. “Annexation is the kind of move that pits him [Putin] alone against the whole of humanity,” he said.

The “referendums” on joining Russia started on the occupied territories of Ukraine on 23 September.

The question for the residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions was formulated as such: “Are you in favour of the secession of the region from the state of Ukraine, the formation of an independent state and its joining the Russian Federation as a subject of the Russian Federation?”

Residents of the self-proclaimed “LPR” and “DPR” had to answer this question: “Are you in favour of the Donetsk/Luhansk People’s Republic joining the Russian Federation as a subject of the Russian Federation?”

Polling stations were also open on the territory of Russia for the residents of those regions that left for Russia.