‘Sham referenda held by Russia have no legitimacy,’ reiterates NATO chief

ANKARA

Referendums in four regions of Ukraine on whether to join Russia have no legitimacy, the NATO chief reiterated on Tuesday, as voting is set to draw to a close.

“Just spoke with President Zelenskyy & made clear that NATO Allies are unwavering in our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty & right to self-defence. The sham referenda held by Russia have no legitimacy & are a blatant violation of international law. These lands are Ukraine, ” Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter.

The votes are being held in Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, a move the international community says is illegitimate and will not be recognized. Russian media, however, are reporting high turnouts in the five-day exercise.​​​​​

NATO had earlier condemned the “sham” referendums announced by Russian-backed authorities in Ukrainian regions, ruling out the recognition of their “illegal and illegitimate annexation."