Kremlin Laying The Groundwork To Hold A Referendum For Captured Ukraine Regions

Wiki Commons: Russian President Vladimir Putin signs the treaty of "accession" (annexation) with Crimean leaders in Moscow, 18 March 2014.  

Bloomberg: Russia Moves to Annex Ukrainian Land in September Referendums (

Bloomberg) -- The Kremlin is in a dash to hold referendums in Ukrainian territories occupied by its troops to give grounds for President Vladimir Putin to absorb them into Russia as early as September, according to people familiar with the strategy. 

Officials are preparing to organize votes in areas currently controlled by the Russian military and any others its troops are able to seize in coming weeks, three people said. 

The goal is to conduct referendums on joining Russia by Sept. 15, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because the issue is sensitive. 

The project is directed by Sergei Kiriyenko, the Kremlin’s first deputy chief of staff, according to the people, with attention focused on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine’s east as well as the southern territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. 

Kiriyenko, who is under US and European Union sanctions, regularly visits occupied territories to oversee officials preparing for the referendums, they said.  

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WNU Editor: I do not know why people are surprised that this is happening. Two or three months ago a negotiated peace may have been possible. No more now. This is a fight that in the end Ukraine will not be having the borders that it once use to have. 

Kremlin Laying The Groundwork To Hold A Referendum For Captured Ukraine Regions  

Kremlin Eyes Sept. 15 Referendum for Captured Ukraine Regions – Bloomberg -- Moscow Times 

Russia Plans 'Annexation Votes' For Captured Ukraine Territories By Mid-September: Report -- Zero Hedge 

How Russia is laying the groundwork for its annexation of Ukraine -- Robyn Dixon, Washington Post  

Putin's "annexation playbook" in Ukraine could leave no path to peace -- Axios