Escape from Russia "planned"?

Lithuania's ex-president fears "another ugly weapon" from Putin

Created: 09/30/2022, 04:52

By: Bettina Menzel, Stefanie Fischhaber, Stephanie Munk, Felix Durach, Fabian Müller

Ukraine News: Selenskyj demands more weapons from Germany, Erdogan wants to talk to Putin.

And: Finland apparently wants to close the border for Russians.

The news ticker.

• Erdogan

  criticizes

  Putin

  : The Turkish president wants to talk to Russia about mock referendums in Ukraine.

• Selenskyj

  reports from a

  Scholz phone call

  : Ukrainian President demands more weapons from Germany.

• Support

  for

  Ukraine

  : BND supplies Ukrainian army with information

• This news ticker has ended.

  The current

  news ticker on diplomacy in the Ukraine war

  can be found here.

Update from September 29, 11:50 a.m .:

Pope Francis claims to have helped in the efforts to exchange prisoners in Ukraine.

The head of the Catholic Church spoke of this at a meeting with Jesuits in Kazakhstan, the text of which has now been published in the Jesuit magazine

.

The 85-year-old said that people and officials from Ukraine keep visiting him and reporting on the Ukraine war.

"A military chief also came to take care of prisoner exchanges," the pope said.

“They brought me a list of more than 300 prisoners.

They asked me to do something to facilitate an exchange.

I immediately called the Russian ambassador to ask if anything could be done, if a prisoner exchange could be expedited.”

Pope Francis did not specifically state when he had helped and whether his mission was successful.

At the end of June, the Ukrainian and Russian armies exchanged almost 300 prisoners of war.

Whether the Pope was involved in this action is unclear.

Escape from Russia "planned"?

Lithuania's ex-president fears "another ugly weapon" from Putin

Update from September 29, 11:05 a.m .:

The mass exodus from Russia looks like a blow to Putin and his plans in the Ukraine war – but might it actually be convenient for the Kremlin?

Lithuania's former head of state Vytautas Landsbergis is now warning of this.

"The question is whether this mass flight is not also planned and is another ugly weapon," said the politician in a radio interview.

Pictures of the escape: Aerial view of a traffic jam on the Russian-Georgian border.

Many reservists are leaving Russia to avoid having to go to war in Ukraine.

© Valery Sharifulin/Imago

Russians fleeing mobilization abroad could potentially be used by the Russian regime to destabilize their host countries.

For example, the Kremlin "could use them for some referendums, to ask for help from Uncle Putin," Landsbergis said.

also read

"Will not organize a massacre": Putin politician surprises with nuclear weapons statement

Partial mobilization: Putin now criticizes "mistakes" - almost every second Russian feels "horror"

Lithuania strictly rejects the admission of Russian conscientious objectors.

“The Russians should stay and fight.

Against Putin,” Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote on Twitter.

He is the grandson of Vytautas Landsbergis.

Update from September 29, 10:50 a.m.:

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has rigorously condemned the sham referendums in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

Under threats and sometimes even at gunpoint, people were "taken from their homes and their jobs and forced to cast their votes and put the ballot paper in a glass ballot box," criticized the Greens politician at a conference in Berlin.

“This is the opposite of free and fair elections.

And this is the opposite of peace.

It is the dictated peace, the dictated peace,” stressed Baerbock.

“As long as this Russian dictate applies in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is free or safe.

No citizen is protected.”

Annalena Baerbock at the Berlin Peace Dialogue conference, where she condemned Putin's sham referendums.

© Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

Escape from Russia: Finland now wants to quickly close the border for tourists

Update from September 29, 10:05 a.m .:

Finland apparently closes its border for Russian tourists on the night from Thursday to Friday (September 30).

This is reported by the Finnish newspaper

.

The Finnish government will announce details of the new border regulations at a press conference at around 1:15 p.m. today, it said.

The government is planning a "principle decision" that will significantly reduce the number of Russians traveling to Finland.

Since Putin announced the partial mobilization of his armed forces just over a week ago, many Russian men have fled to neighboring countries to avoid the frontline in the Ukraine war.

There was also an unusually large crowd at the border with Russia, with the Finnish border protection agency reporting a record.

Cars from Russia queued up at the Vaalimaa border crossing between Finland and Russia on Wednesday, September 28.

© Sasu Mäkinen/Lehtikuva/dpa

"Convince" Putin: Erdogan wants to talk to Russia about Ukraine's sham referendums

Update from September 29, 9.45 a.m .:

The sham referendums that the Russian occupiers held in eastern and southern Ukraine to annex several regions are not recognized worldwide.

On Friday, September 30, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to talk to Putin about the illegal votes.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has asked for his support, Erdogan said.

He should "convince Putin".

Regarding the sham referendums, Erdogan said: "I wish they wouldn't hold a referendum and we could solve this problem through diplomacy instead." Turkey has played a mediating role in Ukraine-Russia negotiations on several occasions, for example in the Russian blockade of grain shipments Ukrainian ports.

Keeping in touch: Turkish President Erdogan (left) and Russian President Putin.

© IMAGO/Alexandr Demyanchuk

Ukraine-Russia negotiations: Selenskyj reports from a Scholz call

Update from September 29, 6:57 a.m

.: Olaf Scholz regularly calls the warring parties in the Ukraine war.

Both with Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyj, who is now demanding further arms deliveries from Germany.

In a phone call with Scholz, Zelenskyy asked for more arms deliveries to Kyiv and for the planned eighth package of EU sanctions against Moscow to be tightened.

"On the subject of defense, I underlined our expectation of a missile defense system from Germany - thank you for your willingness to help with air defense," said the President on Wednesday in his daily video address after the meeting with the Chancellor.

The EU's new sanctions package was also discussed.

"As of today, there is still something to add to the eighth package of sanctions," demanded Zelenskyj.

Olaf Scholz visits President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine in June.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Update from September 28, 10:28 p.m .:

In the Russian capital Moscow, the FSB secret service claims to have arrested a Ukrainian spy.

The suspect is "a Ukrainian citizen, he was an agent of the SBU (Ukrainian secret service) and in the spring of 2022 he was given the task of collecting data on Russian military equipment on Russian territory from the secret service," the state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday, citing FSB- circles.

A Moscow court has already ordered the man to be held in custody until the end of November.

Since the outbreak of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in February, the officially reported number of espionage cases in the country has increased significantly.

Only on Monday did the Russian authorities in the Far East first arrest the Japanese consul in Vladivostok for alleged espionage activities and then expel him from the country, triggering a diplomatic scandal.

At the end of August, a Ukrainian citizen was arrested on alleged espionage.

War in Ukraine: USA announce further arms deliveries

Update from September 28, 9:20 p.m .:

The US government has announced further arms deliveries for Ukraine worth 1.1 billion US dollars (1.14 billion euros).

The package should give Kyiv 18 more Himars multiple rocket launchers, "which Ukraine has used so effectively on the battlefield," US President Joe Biden's spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday.

In addition, Ukraine is to receive, among other things, the associated ammunition, 150 armored vehicles and anti-drone systems, as the Ministry of Defense said.

The weapons and systems should not come directly from the stocks of the US military, but should first be bought from industry for Ukraine, it said.

It is about the medium and long-term equipment of the Ukrainian military.

This brings US military support to Ukraine to a total equivalent of $16.9 billion since the beginning of Biden's tenure, the Pentagon said

Support for Ukraine: BND supplies Ukrainian army with information

Update from September 28, 8:06 p.m .:

According to a media report, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) supports Ukraine with information about positions of the Russian army.

As Die

reports, the German government is not only delivering weapons to Ukraine, but also intelligence information.

This emerges from research by the weekly newspaper and the ARD magazine “Contrasts”.

When asked by the German Press Agency, a BND spokesman said that the service would only comment on operational aspects of its work to the federal government and the responsible, secret-meeting committees of the Bundestag.

According to the report, the information is reconnaissance findings by the BND that came from satellite images, intercepted radio messages or mobile phone calls.

This included information about ammunition depots and photos of a Russian airfield with the exact location and number of aircraft.

The BND had this procedure legally checked in advance, the newspaper reports.

The data would be passed on with a delay of up to a few days, it said.

Therefore, they are not directly usable for the planning and control of deadly attacks.

So far, more than 100 tips have been sent.

Russian war-resisters flee: Entry restrictions to Georgia

Update from September 28, 5:10 p.m .:

In view of the many fleeing conscientious objectors, the Russian Republic of North Ossetia, which borders Georgia, has imposed entry restrictions in the Caucasus.

By decree, he made it difficult for cars to drive through from other Russian regions in the direction of Georgia, the head of the republic, Sergei Menjajlo, wrote on Telegram on Wednesday.

"In the last two days alone, more than 20,000 people have traveled to Georgia via our section of the border!" Menjajlo said.

"We will simply not be physically able to maintain order and security if this flow continues to increase."

Many videos are circulating on social networks, especially from the Russian-Georgian border, of men waiting, some on foot or on bicycles, at the Verkhni Lars crossing.

Russians do not need a visa to enter the ex-Soviet Republic of Georgia.

Miles-long queues of cars have also been forming on the border with neighboring Kazakhstan in Central Asia for days.

EU Commission proposes price cap for oil imports from Russia

Update from September 28, 4:15 p.m .:

The EU Commission has presented a proposal for another package of sanctions against Russia because of the invasion of Ukraine.

The package contains, among other things, the legal basis for a price cap for oil imports from Russia and other import restrictions worth seven billion euros, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday in Brussels.

Now the EU states must discuss the proposal and decide unanimously on it.

Ukraine-News: Russia halts issuing of passports amid massive exit

Update from September 28, 2:30 p.m .:

Russia will no longer issue passports to citizens who are drafted into military service as part of the partial mobilization.

The Russian government said on its website that those affected were “denied a passport”.

Since President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization on September 21, tens of thousands of people have left Russia for neighboring countries.

According to the government website, people who are denied a passport will also be told how long the ban will remain in effect.

In the past few days, many of those affected had already feared exit bans.

In several cases it was reported that those wishing to leave the country had been refused entry to the border.

Ukraine-News: Russia wants to conquer entire Donetsk region - Peskov speaks of "minimum target"

Update from September 28, 1:55 p.m .:

Even after the sham referendums on the accession of occupied regions to its territory, Russia wants to continue the war in Ukraine until the entire Donetsk region is conquered.

That is the minimum goal, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

So far, Russian troops and separatist groups have controlled around 58 percent of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

"You know that not the entire territory of the Donetsk People's Republic has been liberated," Peskov said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

"Therefore, as a minimum, we must liberate the entire territory of the Donetsk People's Republic," Peskov said.

After the sham referendums in the occupied areas of eastern and southern Ukraine, the separatist leadership wants to apply to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to join the Russian Federation on Wednesday.

The crew representatives were expected in Moscow.

Peskov confirmed that Putin will receive them.

US Embassy urges Americans to leave the country - 'leave Russia'

Update from September 28, 1:40 p.m .:

The US Embassy in the Russian capital Moscow has issued a security warning for American citizens in Russia.

The reason for this is apparently the partial mobilization ordered by the Kremlin.

The embassy warned that Russia might not recognize US citizenship and would prevent US citizens from receiving embassy assistance.

In addition, Russia could prevent American citizens from leaving the country and try to recruit people with dual citizenship.

The US embassy therefore called on its citizens to leave Russia and at the same time referred to limited options for leaving the country.

US citizens would have to make independent arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible.

The embassy is only able to support its citizens to a limited extent.

Leaks in Nord Stream pipes - Russia rejects responsibility

Update from September 28, 1:11 p.m

.: There are currently three leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipes. The Kremlin has now rejected allegations that Russia is allegedly responsible for them.

"It is quite predictable and stupid and absurd to make such assumptions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax agency. 

In Ukraine, there have been allegations that Russia deliberately sabotaged the pipelines to exacerbate Europe's energy crisis and spark pre-winter panics.

The EU considers sabotage to be the likely cause and has threatened to take countermeasures.

However, she left open who she held responsible.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also spoke of sabotage.

Peskov called for Russia to be involved in clarifying the incidents, but criticized: "At the moment we see the absolute lack of such a dialogue." He further explained that Russia was not interested in an end to the flow of gas through the Nord Stream pipelines.

The damage is also a big problem for Russia.

Both strands of Nord Stream 2 are filled with gas.

"This gas costs a lot of money, and now it's escaping into the air."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (archive image) © Alexei Nikolsky/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP/dpa

Ukraine-News: Mariupol's mayor describes possible Putin plan

Update from September 28, 1:04 p.m

.: After the sham referendums, the Kremlin chief could plan forced mobilization in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

That is the assessment of Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko.

In the "Tagesschau" he described the possible new plan of Putin in the Ukraine war.

Sham referendums in occupied territories: Moscow seems to have a schedule

Update from September 28, 12:43 p.m

.: The two Russian chambers of parliament want to decide on the annexations in Ukraine on Monday (October 3) and Tuesday.

The Duma has changed its schedule and will hold plenary sessions on both days, said the head of parliament Vyacheslav Volodin, according to the state agency TASS.

The chairwoman of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, had previously stated that the upper house of parliament could decide on the accession of the occupied territories at its regular session on Tuesday.

The Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Cherson regions are affected.

After the “results” of the sham referendums, they asked Vladimir Putin to join the Russian Federation.

According to the dpa news agency, the Luhansk separatist leader Leonid Passetschnik and his Donetsk colleague Denis Puschilin are already on their way to Moscow.

Russian human rights activist on the Ukraine war: "The propaganda is losing efficiency"

Update from September 28, 12:21 p.m

.: The human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina sees a change of mood in Russian society after the partial mobilization.

"The propaganda is losing efficiency," she says in an interview with the weekly newspaper

.

On the one hand, people stopped believing the lies.

On the other hand, many are not prepared to accept that their own son should be "killed or made into a murderer".

In doing so, Gannushkina drew a comparison to the Chechen wars, in which many young, poorly equipped soldiers were also sent.

Russian mothers would have defended their sons back then and brought them home.

Gannushkina received the Alternative Nobel Prize in 2016.

Picture from September 27: Vladimir Putin in Sochi © Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin Pool/Imago

Annexation in Ukraine is apparently approaching: Separatist chief is already addressing "please" to Putin

Update from September 28, 11:44 a.m

.: The leaders of the separatists in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Cherson have asked Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin for the annexation of these regions by Russia.

"(...) I would ask you to consider the question of joining the Luhansk People's Republic to Russia as a member of the Russian Federation," Luhansk separatist leader Leonid Pasechnik told Telegram.

The separatist leader in Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, made a similar statement after the end of the sham referendums in Russian-held areas of Ukraine.

Ukraine-News: Scholz wants to accept Russian conscientious objectors

Update from September 28, 11:32 a.m

.: Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to accept Russians who do not want to fight in the war against Ukraine in Germany.

"I am in favor of offering these people protection," said the SPD politician to the

.

"Of course they have to go through a security check beforehand so that we know who we are letting into our country," added the Chancellor.

The traffic light coalition had previously announced that it wanted to reach a common line at European level on how to deal with Russian conscientious objectors.

The partial mobilization announced by Putin triggered a wave of departures from Russia.

Putin in the Ukraine war: Nuclear industry ensures Russia's defense capability

Update September 28, 10:59 am

: Amid Russia's recent nuclear threats against the West, Putin has praised Russia's nuclear industry.

"I would particularly like to highlight your significant contribution to the development of the newest, unprecedented types of weapons that will reliably ensure the nuclear balance and defense capability of our state," the Russian ruler wrote in a congratulatory telegram published by the Kremlin on Russia's Day of Nuclear Workers.

In order to remain at the top, priority must be given to the widespread use of cutting-edge technologies, the expansion of basic research and the training of highly qualified personnel, stressed Putin.

Nuclear workers worked in a key area of ​​the Russian economy.

The strengthening of the industrial, energy and defense potential of the country depends to a large extent on them.

Putin's sham referendums in Ukraine: Kremlin statement expected

Update from September 28, 10:21 a.m

.: After the “result” of the Russian mock referendums in Ukraine, the Kremlin should also officially comment today.

It is expected that Russia will soon annex the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Cherson and Zaporizhia after the votes, which violate international law.

Russia's sham referendums in Ukraine: USA prepare UN resolution

Update from September 28, 7:36 a.m .:

The United States is preparing a UN resolution directed against the Russian sham referendums.

Ukraine's fight is also a fight for the values ​​of democracy, said US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Tuesday at a meeting of the most powerful body of the United Nations in New York.

"Therefore, we will introduce a resolution condemning these sham referendums, urging member states not to recognize a changed status of Ukraine, and obliging Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine."

Eine Abstimmung im Sicherheitsrat dürfte so gut wie sicher am Veto Russlands scheitern, könnte jedoch Rückschlüsse auf den Grad der Isolation Russlands zulassen. Danach dürfte die Resolution zur Abstimmung in die UN-Vollversammlung mit 193 Mitgliedsländern wandern. Die Europäische Union hatte bereits zuvor angekündigt, Sanktionen aufgrund der Scheinreferenden vorzubereiten.

Bundeskanzler Scholz warnt Präsident Putin eindringlich vor dem Einsatz von Atomwaffen

Update vom 28. September, 6.13 Uhr: Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) hat Russlands Präsident Wladimir Putin eindringlich vor dem Einsatz von Atombomben gewarnt. Auf die Frage, ob Putin seine Drohungen wahr machen könnte, sagte der Kanzler in einem Video-Interview mit der Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung vom Mittwoch: „Wer weiß das schon? Wie US-Präsident Joe Biden will ich aber ganz klar in Richtung Russland sagen: Lasst es bleiben!“

Auf die Frage, ob Deutschland seine militärische Unterstützung der Ukraine ausweite, wenn Russland wie angekündigt die eroberten Gebiete in der Ostukraine annektiere, sagte der Kanzler: „Wir werden das Ergebnis dieser Schein-Referenden nicht akzeptieren und die Ukraine mit unverminderter Kraft weiter unterstützen.“

Die bereits gelieferten Panzerhaubitzen, Mehrfach- Raketenwerfer und Flak-Panzer vom Typ Gepard leisteten schon „einen ganz wichtigen Beitrag für die Erfolge der ukrainischen Streitkräfte im Osten des Landes“ .Genervt zeigte sich Scholz über wiederkehrende Forderungen nach deutschen Kampf- und Schützenpanzern für Kiew: In der Debatte werde „völlig ausgeblendet, dass wir mit unserem Ringtausch auch die Lieferung von mehr als 100 Kampf- und Schützenpanzern an die Ukraine ermöglichen“, sagte der Kanzler.

Auszählung umstrittener Scheinreferenden in besetzten Regionen ergibt 93,11 Prozent Zustimmung für Annexion

Update vom 27. September, 22.08 Uhr: Behördenvertreter in den von Moskau besetzten Regionen Saporischschja, Cherson und Luhansk in der Ukraine haben am Dienstag Siege bei den sogenannten Referenden für eine Annexion durch Russland vermeldet. Die Wahlbehörde in Saporischschja in der Südukraine erklärte nach Auszählung aller Stimmen, dass laut vorläufigem Ergebnis 93,11 Prozent für eine Annexion gestimmt hätten. In der ebenfalls südukrainischen Region Cherson meldete die Besatzungsbehörde eine Zustimmung von 87,05 Prozent.

Wenig später vermeldeten auch die pro-russischen Separatisten in der ostukrainischen Region Luhansk einen Sieg bei der Abstimmung über die Annexion. Es sei „klar“, dass Luhansk in den Schoß Russlands zurückkehre, erklärte Leonid Pasetschnik, Anführer der selbstproklamierten Volksrepublik Luhansk auf der Online-Plattform Telegram.

In der Region Donezk waren am Dienstagabend erst 31,74 Prozent der Stimmen ausgezählt. Doch auch hier erklärte die Wahlbehörde, dass die Ja-Stimmen überwiegen würden. Die Vereinten Nationen (UNO) bekräftigten unterdessen, sie blieben weiterhin der „territorialen Integrität“ der Ukraine innerhalb ihrer „anerkannten“ Grenzen „verpflichtet“.

Krieg in der Ukraine: Selenskyi hält Rede vor dem UN-Sicherheitsrat

Update vom 27. September, 21.53 Uhr: Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj hat vor einer Zerstörung der internationalen Diplomatie durch Russland gewarnt. Die Vertreter Moskaus hätten im UN-Sicherheitsrat keine Waffen benutzt, sagte Selenskyj am Dienstag in einer Video-Ansprache vor dem mächtigsten UN-Gremium. „Aber sicherlich wird es niemanden überraschen, wenn diese Rolle des UN-Sicherheitsrates zur Zone der Gewalt seitens der Vertreter Russlands wird“. Es sei nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis Moskau die letzte noch funktionierende internationale Institution zerstöre, warnte er.

Selenskyj forderte außerdem die internationale Gemeinschaft zum entschlossenen Vorgehen gegen eine möglicherweise bevorstehende Einverleibung von Teilen seines Landes durch Russland auf. Mit Blick auf den russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin sagte er vor dem UN-Sicherheitsrat: „Annexion ist die Art von Handlung, die ihn allein gegen die gesamte Menschheit stellt. Ein klares Signal wird jetzt von jedem Land der Welt benötigt.“ Jede illegale Annektierung sei ein Verbrechen gegen alle Staaten.

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden beendet: Russland verkündet erste „Ergebnisse“

Update vom 27. September, 17.22 Uhr: Das russische Oberhaus könnte am 4. Oktober über die Annexion von vier ukrainischen Gebieten an Russland entscheiden. Das sagte die Vorsitzenden des Oberhauses,Valentina Matwijenko. An diesem Tag sei die nächste planmäßige Sitzung angesetzt, sagte sie nach Angaben russischer Agenturen. Es bestehe bisher keine Notwendigkeit, Sondersitzungen anzuberaumen.

Zuvor war in Medien spekuliert worden, Präsident Wladimir Putin könnte schon an diesem Freitag in einer Rede vor beiden Kammern des russischen Parlaments die Annexion der insgesamt vier Gebiete im Osten und Süden der Ukraine formell bekanntgeben.

Update vom 27. September, 17.11 Uhr: Die ukrainische Regierung will sich von den Pseudo-Referenden in vier russisch kontrollierten Gebieten in der Ukraine nach eigenen Angaben nicht beeinflussen lassen. „Diese Maßnahmen, diese Entscheidungen von Putin werden keinen Einfluss auf die Politik, Diplomatie und das Handeln der Ukraine auf dem Schlachtfeld haben“, sagte Kiews Außenminister Dmytro Kuleba auf einer Pressekonferenz.

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden: EU bereitet Sanktionen gegen Russland vor

Update vom 27. September, 17.06 Uhr: Die EU hat Sanktionen gegen Russland wegen der illegalen Scheinreferenden zur Annexion ukrainischer Gebiete offenbar schon in der Tasche. „Wenn Russland diese illegalen Referenden durchführt, werden Sanktionen der Europäischen Union folgen, mit der vollen Unterstützung meines Landes“, sagte Frankreichs Außenministerin Catherine Colonna bei einem Besuch in Kiew.

„Wir haben bereits - ohne das Ende dieser Pseudoreferenden abzuwarten - die Arbeit unter Europäern aufgenommen, die Konsultationen sind im Gange, um so schnell wie möglich zu einer neuen Serie von Sanktionen zu kommen“, sagte Colonna. „Diese werden einerseits individuell sein, um die Verantwortlichen dieser illegalen Operationen ins Visier zu nehmen und betreffen zweifellos andere Sektoren, die bisher noch nicht von Sanktionen betroffen waren und die dies nun sein werden.“

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden: Selenskyj will heute noch bei UN-Sondersitzung sprechen

Update vom 27. September, 16.43 Uhr: Der ukrainische Präsident Selenskyj wird offenbar noch heute bei einer Sondersitzung des UN-Sicherheitsrats zu den russischen Scheinreferenden in der Ukraine sprechen. Diplomatenkreise bestätigten der Deutschen Presse-Agentur, dass die ukrainische UN-Vertretung eine Ansprache beantragt hat. Russland werde aber wohl versuchen, die Videobotschaft mit einer Abstimmung zu verhindern. 

Die Sitzung ist für 21 Uhr deutscher Zeit geplant. UN-Generalsekretär António Guterres hatte eine mögliche Annexion der ukrainischen Gebiete an Russland zuletzt als Verletzung des Völkerrechts bezeichnet.

Update vom 27. September, 16.14 Uhr: Folgendermaßen haben die Menschen in den ukrainischen Regionen, in denen die russischen Besatz Scheinreferenden durchgeführt haben, angeblich abgestimmt:

• Donezk: 98,27 Prozent stimmten angeblich für die Beitritt zu Russland (20 Prozent der Stimmen ausgezählt)
• Luhansk: 97,83 Prozent stimmten angeblich für Beitritt zu Russland (21 Prozent der Stimmen ausgezählt)
• Saporischschja: 98,19 Prozent stimmten angeblich für Beitritt zu Russland (18 Prozent der Stimmen ausgezählt)
• Cherson: 97,63 Prozent stimmten angeblich für Beitritt zu Russland (27 Prozent der Stimmen ausgezählt)

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden beendet: Russland verkündet erste „Ergebnisse“

Update from September 27, 4:05 p.m .:

The Russian occupiers have declared the sham referendums in several Ukrainian regions over and presented the first results of the votes that violate international law.

After the first ballots were counted at polling stations in Russia, more than 97 percent of voters from the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia voted in favor of their home regions joining Russia, Russian agencies reported on Tuesday.

The votes for the mock referendum are counted in a polling station in Donetsk.

Russia has already presented the first “results”.

© IMAGO/RIA Novosti

Aus Wahllokalen in den besetzten Gebieten selbst gab es zunächst keine Angaben. Zur Stimmabgabe aufgerufen waren seit vergangenem Freitag auch ukrainische Flüchtlinge in Russland. Damit dürfte noch in dieser Woche eine beispiellose Annexionswelle beginnen.

Die Scheinreferenden werden weltweit nicht anerkannt, weil sie unter Verletzung ukrainischer und internationaler Gesetze und ohne demokratische Mindeststandards abgehalten werden. Beobachter hatten in den vergangenen Tagen auf zahlreiche Fälle hingewiesen, in denen die ukrainischen Bewohner der besetzten Gebiete zum Urnengang gezwungen wurden.

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden: Offenbar konkrete Kreml-Pläne zu „Krimbezirk“ durchgesickert

Update vom 27. September, 14.05 Uhr: Wie die russische Zeitung „Wedomosti“ berichtet, soll es im Kreml bereits konkrete Pläne für die Eingliederung vier ukrainischen Gebiete geben, in denen aktuell Scheinabstimmungen abgehalten werden. Geplant sei die Bildung eines neuen föderalen „Krimbezirks“, der die bereits 2014 annektierte Halbinsel Krim sowie die besetzten Teile der Gebiete Cherson, Saporischschja, Donezk und Luhansk umfassen soll.

Neuer Verwaltungschef solle Dmitri Rogosin werden, der im Juli als Chef der Raumfahrtbehörde Roskosmos abgelöst worden war, hieß es weiter. Schon im Juli hatten Medien spekuliert, der Hardliner und Nationalist könnte einer der Kreml-Kuratoren in den Separatistengebieten Donezk oder Luhansk im Osten der Ukraine werden. Kreml-Sprecher Dmitri Peskow verwies gegenüber der Agentur Interfax nur darauf, dass Moskau über einen Beschluss informieren würde, sobald er getroffen wurde. „Wir kündigen solche Dekrete des Präsidenten oder Personalentscheidungen nie an“, so der Kreml-Sprecher.

EU will Sanktionen gegen Verantwortliche für Scheinreferenden in der Ukraine verhängen

Update from September 27, 1:40 p.m.:

After the sham referendums in Ukraine, the European Union now wants to impose sanctions on those responsible.

This was confirmed by the spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Peter Stano, on Tuesday in Brussels: "There will be consequences for everyone involved in organizing these illegal referendums."

Voting is expected to end later today.

The first results are expected on Tuesday evening.

A man casts his ballot in Luhansk under the surveillance of a gunman.

© dpa

Diplomaten zufolge sollen die Verantwortlichen für die „Referenden“ über einen Anschluss von vier ukrainischen Gebieten an Russland auf die Sanktionsliste der EU aufgenommen werden. Damit drohen ihnen Einreisesperren, zudem wird ihr Vermögen in Europa eingefroren. Die Sanktionsliste umfasst bereits mehr als 1200 Verantwortliche in Russland und Belarus.

Russland zieht Ende von Scheinreferenden vor – Ergebnis schon am Dienstagabend?

Update vom 27. September, 12.12 Uhr: In der Region Luhansk werden die Wahllokale für das russische Referendum nur noch bis 16 Uhr geöffnet sein. Das kündigte die Vorsitzende der Zentralen Wahlkommission der Region, Yelena Kravchenko, gegenüber der russischen Nachrichtenagentur Tass an. Die Wahllokale schließen somit früher als ursprünglich gedacht, damit die Auszählungen noch am Dienstag beginnen können.

„Sobald die Ergebnisse ausgezählt wurden, werden wir sie auswerten und in der Lage sein, sie bekannt zugeben“, erklärte Kravchenko weiter. Ein Ergebnis könnte also sogar noch am Dienstag bekannt geben werden. Auch der Chef der Militärverwaltung in der Region Cherson, Kirill Stremousov, rechnet noch am Dienstag mit ersten Ergebnissen. „Ich schätze, wir werden später am Tag (Dienstag; Anm. d. Red.) die Stimmen auszählen, wir werden sehen. Und ich denke, wir werden heute die ersten Ergebnisse bekommen“, sagte der Offizielle dem russischen TV-Sender Channel One.

Ukraine-Scheinreferenden vor Abschluss: Annexion von vier Gebieten droht

Erstmeldung vom 27. September: Moskau – Noch in dieser Woche könnte eine neue Phase im Ukraine-Krieg eingeleitet werden. Am Dienstag (27. September) haben die Bewohner der Region Donezk und Luhansk im Donbass, sowie Cherson und Saporischschja noch die Möglichkeit ihre Stimme für eine mögliche Annexion der Gebiete durch Russland abzugeben. Die Referenden sollen das russische Staatsgebiet erweitern und Russlands Machthaber Wladimir Putin mehr Möglichkeiten für den weiteren Kriegsverlauf geben.

Scheinreferenden in der Ukraine – Russland meldet absurd hohe Wahlbeteiligung

However, their holding is becoming more and more of a farce.

An annexation of the territories contrary to international law would not be recognized by the western states anyway and the outcome of the referendums is anything but open.

This is also shown by the reports of the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Accordingly, the Russian officials announced on Monday that enough votes had already been cast in all four referendums to declare the referendums valid.

A man casts his ballot at a polling station in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol during Russia's referendums.

© STRINGER/AFP

Einen Tag vor dem Schließen der Wahllokale hätten sich demnach jeweils über 50 Prozent der Bevölkerung an den Abstimmungen beteiligt. Das ISW bezeichnet die Zahlen zur Wahlbeteiligung als „offenkundig gefälscht“. Das wäre schon alleine daran festzumachen, dass es aktuell nur schwer abzuschätzen ist, wie viele wahlberechtigte Ukrainer sich überhaupt noch in den besetzten Gebieten befinden. In den selbsternannten Volksrepubliken Luhansk und Donezk soll die Wahlbeteiligung bereits am Dienstag schon bei über 80 Prozent gelegen haben.

Ausgang von Ukraine-Referenden längst klar - Putin könnte Annexion am Freitag verkünden

Auch hier geht das ISW davon aus, dass die Beteiligung selbst bei freien Abstimmungen deutlich geringer wäre. Bei den ukrainischen Präsidentschaftswahlen lag die Wahlbeteiligung demnach landesweit nur bei 62,8 Prozent. Wladimir Saldo, der Leiter der Besatzungsverwaltung in der Region Cherson, hat darüber hinaus bekannt gegeben, dass die bisher abgegeben Stimmen bereits für ein pro-russisches Ergebnis des Referendums ausreichen würde.

The British Ministry of Defense already expects Putin to officially announce the annexation of the territories in a speech to the Russian parliament on Friday (September 30).

The ministry announced this in its daily Ukraine update on Twitter.

Then Putin could start conscripting Ukrainian citizens in the areas for Russian military service.

Then they would have to fight against Ukrainian troops in the Ukraine, according to the analysis of the ISW.

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Russia wants to get support from the population with mock referendums

According to British secret services, the Russian leadership also wants to use the expected annexation of Ukrainian areas to justify the war of aggression in front of its own population.

Any announcement of annexation of the territories will serve to justify Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine and aim to solidify patriotic support for the conflict, the report said.

However, the British intelligence services assume that the Russians will not support Putin's plans in the way the Kremlin boss had hoped.

The recent partial mobilization of Russian reservists and the increasing knowledge about the setbacks in Ukraine are likely to cloud approval significantly, it said.