Russia repeated on Tuesday (27) its threat to use nuclear weapons on the last day of referendums on the annexation of four territories under its control, in which “yes” takes precedence in a consultation condemned by the West.

The UN declared support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine on its recognized borders – Photo: STRINGER / AFP / ND

The pro-Moscow authorities announced the victory of supporters of “yes” to the annexation to Russia of two regions of southern Ukraine, where referendums were held, Kherson and Zaporozhye, which are under Russian occupation. Support percentages were 87% and 93% respectively, as they announced after all ballots were counted.

The other two regions involved are the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian officials have also given a partial vote count.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba downplayed the significance of these referendums, which will not change “our actions in the military field.”

Ukraine’s allies denounced the referendums, promptly staged in the face of advancing troops from Kyiv, who, backed by Western weapons, reclaimed thousands of square kilometers that had been under Russian control since September.

The G7 have vowed they will “never recognize” the results, a sentiment confirmed on Tuesday by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

“We and many other countries have made this clear. We will never recognize the annexation of the territory of Ukraine by Russia,” Blinken assured at a press conference.

NATO said the referendums were “a flagrant violation of international law” and Israel warned it would not recognize their results either.

France has called the referendums a “masquerade” and its foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, who is in Kyiv on Tuesday, said a “better balance of power between Russia and Ukraine” would be needed to end the war.

The UN declared support for the “territorial integrity of Ukraine” on its “recognized” borders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the referendums are meant to “save the population” living in these territories, which make up about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.

“To end the war”

Polling stations have opened in Crimea, on a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, for refugees from the Donetsk region, partly controlled by Moscow and its pro-Russian separatist allies.

“With my voice, I want to try to make a small contribution to ending the war,” Galina Korsakova, 63, told AFP. “I really want to go home,” he added.

“I hope ordinary people and workers will regain peace and stability,” said Ruslan Yushkevich, a 37-year-old mechanic from Mariupol, a port city largely destroyed this spring by heavy fighting.

To emphasize its zeal for new territories, Moscow on Tuesday again threatened to use nuclear weapons.

“Russia has the right to use atomic weapons if necessary,” threatened the former Russian president, now the second member of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev.

The position was confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who recalled that the Russian military doctrine provides for the possibility of responding with nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on Russian territory.

A Russian rocket hit a shopping center in Ukraine, killing 10 people – Photo: AFP/ND

Russian exodus

At the same time, Russia announced the mobilization of reservists who intend to recruit 300,000 troops to reinforce the invasion.

In Crimea, an AFP journalist saw rows of mobilized men dressed in military uniforms and carrying rifles waiting in line to board an army bus as their families said goodbye with tears in their eyes.

A sometimes chaotic recruiting campaign has forced thousands of Russians to flee the country, as two neighboring countries, Georgia and Kazakhstan, confirmed on Tuesday. Arrivals to Finland and Mongolia are also numerous.

Georgia has reported 10,000 Russians crossing the border every day since the mobilization was announced, more than double the usual figure. Kazakhstan reported that 98,000 Russian citizens had crossed the border since September 21.

“It was raining and it was cold, but a six-hour wait is a reasonable thing given the circumstances,” Fedor, a Muscovite who arrived at the Kazakh border after nearly two days and several hours, told AFP by phone. waiting to enter this Central Asian country.

According to him, he was not on the list of 300,000 reservists, but chose to leave Moscow “as a precaution” and in view of the prevailing “complete chaos.”

About 66,000 Russian citizens entered the EU during the week of September 19-25, according to data from the European border agency Frontex, up 30% from a week earlier.

Leaks from Nord Stream

At the same time, according to data from Sweden and Denmark, two Nord Stream gas pipelines, through which Russian gas is transported to Europe, have experienced significant leaks.

Two gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea are out of order, but filled with gas. According to Swedish seismologists, just before the leaks were discovered, two underwater explosions were recorded, probably due to “some kind of detonation.”

Ukraine said it was likely a “terrorist attack” planned by Moscow against the European Union. Russia said it was “extremely concerned” and said it did not rule out “any” possibility, including sabotage.