Russia on Friday annexes the occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya. Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a special signing ceremony at the Kremlin at 3 p.m. (local time). He also gives a speech.
Russia-appointed leaders of the occupied regions will attend the ceremony on Friday to sign the agreement with Russia. They asked to join the Russian Federation on Wednesday after referendums in the four large-majority regions declared they want to be part of Russia. In Donetsk the vote was highest with more than 99 percent in favour, the lowest percentage of votes for annexation was 87 percent in Kherson.
Ukraine and Western allies have characterized the referenda as shams whose outcome was predetermined. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has repeatedly said that the referendums are illegal and that Ukraine will respond harshly. He has convened his country’s top defense and security officials for an emergency meeting on Friday.
A concert will be held on Friday in Red Square in central Moscow to celebrate the incorporation of the four regions. In 2014 there was a similar concert after the annexation of Crimea. Putin was also present.