Ming checker丨Yang Yiran
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"The four states of Ukraine announced their joining Russia, and Ukraine announced that it will officially disintegrate" is not trustworthy. So far, Donetsk , Lugansk , Khlsson and Zaporoze 4 states have not held a regional referendum on whether to enter Russia.
The head of the military and civilian government in the Russian-controlled areas of Khlsong and Zaporoze prefectures recently released news that a referendum would be held, but it has not been confirmed by the Ukrainian side, so this statement is one-sided.
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Recently, a news circulated on social platforms that four Ukrainian states announced their joining Russia and Ukraine announced that it would officially disintegrate. It is said that "after Luhansk, Donetsk and Khlsong Oblast applied to join Russia and obtained approval", Zaporoze Oblast also officially announced its participation in the Russian Federation.
Zaporoze Prefecture is located in the southern part of Ukraine, facing Donetsk Oblast in the east and Khlsong Oblast in the west.
Excluding Crimea , which joined the Russian Federation in the 2014 referendum, there are 25 states in Ukraine. Among them, the Russian population of Donetsk and Lugansk in the eastern region is large, and since 2014, the two states have been pursuing independence. Since 2022, tensions in Russia and Ukraine have continued to escalate. Just three days before Russia announced the implementation of a "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24, Russia announced that it would recognize the independence of the two regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.
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"Zaboroze Prefecture's referendum to Russia" has been reported by many media recently. On June 8, Russian News Agency quoted a source of information called "Rogov" that the Zaporozhe region will hold a referendum to join Russia this year. Rogov said, "Preparation may take several months."
Russian News Agency reported on June 8 about the referendum on the Zaporozhe region entering Russia.
In an interview with Russian News Agency, Rogov said that Zaporoze Prefecture has "80% of the population" that supports the region's accession to the Russian Federation.
Russian News Agency's interview with Rogov.
The full name of this cited source, Volodymir Rogov, is known as the representative of the Zaporoje State Military and Civilian Government (VGA). However, it is worth noting that the "Zaporoje Prefecture Military and Civilian Government" only operates in a few cities and settlements under the control of the Russian army. According to TASS , Yevgeny Balitsky, head of the military and civilian government in Zaporoze, announced the official establishment of the military and civilian government in the region on live broadcast on June 15 local time. As of press time, about 70% of the land in Zaporoze Prefecture is under the control of the Russian army, but Ukraine still controls Zaporoze City, which accounts for about 50% of the population in the region.
TASS reported that the Zaporozer Regional Military and Civilian Affairs Office was established.
In addition to Rogov, Galina Danilchenko, the "Mayor" of Meritopol City, Zaporoze Prefecture, also announced on June 7 that it had begun preparing for a referendum in Russia. Daniel Chenko joined the Meritopol City Council as an opposition representative in 2015 and was appointed as the secretary of the parliament. On March 11, 2022, Mayor of Meritopol Ivan Fedorov was detained by the Russian military, and Daniel Chenko was subsequently appointed as the "Acting Mayor of Meritopol".
Russian News Agency quoted Daniel Chenko on June 7 to report on the preparations for the Meritopol referendum.
It is obvious that this organization of the military and civilian government in Zaporoze has pro-Russia attributes. The Zaporoze Regional Parliament, which has an official nature in Ukraine, did not release any information that the region will hold a referendum on joining Russia, and there is no sign that the Zaporoze Parliament is involved in preparing any form of regional referendum. Therefore, the online rumor that "Zaporoje Prefecture announced its joining the Russian Federation" is untrustworthy.
Zaboroze Regional Parliament official website home page.
is similar to Zaporoze. The "Referendum on Khlsong Prefecture to Russia" mentioned in the online news also comes from local pro-Russian institutions, and relevant statements have been reported since the Russian army occupied some areas of Khlsong in March this year. Reuters quoted a pro-Russian official in Khlsong on May 28 that a regional referendum may be held next year.On June 21, according to Russian News Agency, Kirill Stremousov, head of the Khlsong Regional Military and Civilian Government, said that Khlsong Prefecture will hold a referendum to Russia this fall. Earlier, Khlsong Mayor Igor Kolykhaiev said in an interview with Ukrainian TV station Zoom that the referendum planned by Russia is "illegal" because Khlsong is still part of Ukraine.
Russian News Agency quoted Stremusov on June 21 to report the Khlsson referendum
As for the Donbas region, the leader of the "Luhansk People's Republic" Leonid Pasecnik had previously stated that it might hold a regional referendum on whether to join Russia and join Russia when the time is right. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko responded: "All false referendums held in temporary occupied territories are invalid and have no legal effect."
In March this year, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry responded to the possible future referendums in Luhansk to Russia.
To sum up, the news that "the four Ukrainian states announced their joining Russia and Ukraine announced that it will officially disintegrate" is not trustworthy. So far, Donetsk, Lugansk, Khlsson and Zaporoze have not held a regional referendum on whether to enter Russia. The head of the Military and Civilian Affairs Office in the Russian-controlled areas of Khlsong and Zaporoze prefectures recently released news that a referendum would be held, but it has not been confirmed by the Ukrainian side, so this statement is one-sided.
Senior editor of this issue Xingtan
