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Call for a sham referendum in Luhansk: After the pseudo referendums, Russia annexed several Ukrainian territories in violation of international law
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Uncredited / dpa
First, Russia held mock referendums in four Ukrainian regions, then Moscow declared the violent relocation of borders.
The move has been heavily criticized internationally.
Now Russia is getting support from North Korea.
Pyongyang is on Moscow's side in the illegal and internationally criticized annexations.
The previously held sham referenda in the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia were held "in accordance with the UN Charter," said a senior government official on Tuesday, according to the state news agency KCNA.
The pseudo-referendums on the union with Russia were scheduled at short notice at the end of September in the regions partially occupied by Russia and ran until last Tuesday.
They represent a breach of international law. The sham referenda are not recognized worldwide because they are held in violation of Ukrainian and international laws and without minimum democratic standards.
Jo Cheol Su, director-general for international organizations at North Korea's foreign ministry, said they support the Russian government's stance on annexing the territories.
In July, North Korea became the third country after Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of the pro-Russian separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine.
asc/dpa