Occupied Ukrainian Regions To Ask Putin To Annex Them

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian-installed officials in occupied regions of Ukraine say they will ask President Vladimir Putin to incorporate them into Russia, claiming their residents overwhelmingly supported such a move in Kremlin-orchestrated votes widely viewed as illegitimate. Pro-Moscow administrations of all four occupied regions of Ukraine said Tuesday night that their residents voted to join Russia. According to Russian-installed election officials, 93% of the ballots cast in the Zaporizhzhia region supported annexation, as did 87% in the Kherson region, 98% in the Luhansk region and 99% in Donetsk. The preordained outcome sets the stage for a dangerous new phase in Russia’s seven-month war, with the Kremlin threatening to throw more troops into the battle and potentially use nuclear weapons.