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Russia’s top diplomat on Saturday said regions of Ukraine where widely-derided referendums are being held would be under Russia’s “full protection” if they are annexed by Moscow, amid fears Russia could further escalate the conflict and even use nuclear weapons. Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine are holding referendums on a Russian annexation during four days. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
8:39am: Any territory annexed by Russia will be ‘under full protection of the state’ FM Lavrov pledges at the UN
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, addressing the UN General Assembly and the world’s media in New York, attempted to justify Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine. “Following those referendums, Russia of course will respect the expression of the will of those people who for many long years have been suffering from the abuses of the neo-Nazi regime,” Lavrov said at a news conference after he addressed the assembly.
Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions of Ukraine, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory “further enshrined” in Russia’s constitution in the future, “is under the full protection of the state.” “All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory,” he said, also referring specifically to Russia’s doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons.
Russia on Friday launched referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions aimed at annexing territory it has taken by force. Kyiv said residents were being coerced into voting and were not allowed to leave the regions during the four-day vote, which Western nations dismissed as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the seven-month old war.
(FRANCE24 with AFP & Reuters)
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