Putin says Russian-held regions in Ukraine endorse their choice to join Moscow

(Reuters) – Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that residents of Moscow-held regions in Ukraine have expressed their desire to become part of Russia in recent local elections, confirming the referendums held last year which were condemned by Western countries as illegal.

In a video address released on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s controversial announcement of annexing four parts of Ukraine, Putin stated that the choice to join Russia was reinforced by the local elections conducted this month, in which officials supporting Russia’s annexation won.

“Just like a year ago in the historic referendums, the people once again expressed and reaffirmed their will to be with Russia and supported their fellow countrymen who, through their hard work and actions, proved themselves worthy of the people’s trust,” he said in a video lasting just over four minutes, issued at midnight.

Putin restated his position that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saved the people from nationalist leaders in Kyiv who had instigated a “full-scale civil war” and “terrorism against those with different opinions”.

On September 30, 2022, parts of four Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia – were officially incorporated into Russia after referendums that Moscow claimed resulted in overwhelming majorities in favor.

The outcomes were dismissed by Western countries as meaningless and an illegal annexation, fueled by the coercing of voters on a large scale.

Russian forces do not have full control over any of the regions.

Ukrainian forces, supported by Western weaponry, successfully defended against initial Russian attempts to advance on Kyiv, and the war shifted to areas held by Russia in the east and south. In June, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive to regain control of those areas.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)