Moscow, 03 Oct. 2022 (Anadolu)

Russia’s lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, on Monday ratified agreements on four regions of Ukraine joining Russian territory.

The lawmakers held individual votes on incorporating the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions into Russia. All votes were unanimously in support of the move, with no deputies abstaining or casting dissenting votes.

Last Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed agreements with separatist authorities of four Ukrainian breakaway regions on joining Russia, following referendums held on Sept. 23-27.

The vote comes more than seven months into Russia’s war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24. The referendums have been condemned by the international community, with European nations and the US calling them a “sham” and underlining that they would not be recognized.

Calling Moscow’s move “a grave violation of the established principles of international law,” Türkiye also said: “We reject Russia’s decision to annex the Donetsk, Luhansk, Herson, and Zaphorizhia regions of Ukraine.”