War in Ukraine: Moscow reiterates its nuclear threats on the last day of annexation votes

Europe 1 with AFP 2:26 p.m., September 27, 2022

THE ESSENTIAL

The former president and number two of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev assured that Moscow will defend these new territories which it intends to incorporate after the annexation referendums, "including with strategic nuclear weapons".

"I will repeat it once again for deaf ears (...): Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons if necessary," he added.

The 216th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is the last for annexation referendums held in four regions of the country.

Information to remember:

- Russia again threatens to use nuclear weapons

- Last day of annexation referendums in four regions of Ukraine

- Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna visits Kyiv

- The partial mobilization of Russians continues, while neighboring countries record increases in admissions

The possibility of nuclear strikes

Asked if these statements represented the official position of the Kremlin, its spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled Russian military doctrine, which provides for the possibility of nuclear strikes if territories considered Russian by Moscow are attacked.

However, after the referendums, "in these territories, there will be cardinal changes from the legal point of view, from the point of view of international law and because of all the respective consequences (of the measures taken) to ensure security", indicated Dmitry Peskov.

Last day of annexation votes

These nuclear threats, which are taken seriously in the West, come on the last day of annexation votes organized by Moscow in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk (east) and those under Russian occupation of Kherson and Zaporijjia (south).

The results could be announced as early as Tuesday evening or Wednesday.

These elections, organized urgently in the face of the success of the Ukrainian counter-offensive launched in early September, follow the pattern of the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

These five regions represent a little more than 20% of the surface of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin assured Tuesday that these votes were aimed at "saving the local populations", Moscow justifying its invasion by accusing kyiv of Nazism and of orchestrating an alleged genocide of Russian speakers.

G7 countries will not recognize results

The G7 countries have vowed to "never recognize" their results, while Washington has promised a "severe" response through additional economic sanctions.

The EU considers these "referendums" as "illegal" and all those who participated in their organization will be sanctioned, said the spokesman for the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.

Even China, Russia's main partner, has made criticisms without going so far as to denounce them.

>> READ ALSO

- Russia increases penalties for surrender or refusal to fight during mobilization

The authorities put in place by Moscow in the areas to be annexed assured for their part that "provisional results" should be announced no earlier than Tuesday evening or in the days that follow.

The Russian Parliament will then have to vote on a text formalizing the integration of the four regions into Russia.

"What do we expect from this event? Stability, economic stability and confidence in the future," said Luhansk separatist leader Leonid Passechnik.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna was in kyiv on Tuesday in support of Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in particular.

Continuation of partial mobilization

At the same time, Russia continues to lead a mobilization of its reservists in order to recruit 300,000 fighters for its invasion of Ukraine, seeking parade in the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian troops who, with the help of Western arms deliveries, recaptured thousands of square kilometers of territory in early September.

>> READ ALSO

- War in Ukraine: why is the partial mobilization in Russia slipping?

This recruitment campaign, carried out at times in a chaotic manner, has pushed many Russians to leave the country, an exodus confirmed on Tuesday by two neighbors of the country, Georgia and Kazakhstan, while an influx is also observed at the borders of the Mongolia and Finland.

More and more Russians are crossing the border

Georgia has reported 10,000 Russians crossing the border every day since the announcement of the mobilization.

Kazakhstan has reported 98,000 Russian citizens who have arrived since September 21.

"I'm not cannon fodder, I'm not a murderer," Nikita, a 23-year-old Russian who passed through the Georgian side at the Kazbegi border post, told AFP.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has promised to protect Russians fleeing to Kazakhstan, Russia's traditional ally but which has distanced itself from the invasion of Ukraine.

New Ukrainian gains and Nord Stream gas leak

On the ground in Ukraine on Tuesday, kyiv claimed new territorial gains with the capture of the localities of Borivshchyna, on the left bank of the Oskil River in the Kharkiv region, as well as the Kupinask-Vouzlovy logistics and rail hub.

Moscow, for its part, continued to claim to inflict heavy losses on its adversary.

In recent days, Russian attacks on Iranian-made drones have intensified, particularly over Odessa, a major port on the Black Sea, where two "kamikaze" machines hit military infrastructure on Monday, causing a major fire and ammunition detonations.

On the economic side of the war, the Nord Stream gas pipelines built to deliver Russian gas to Europe were hit by unexplained leaks reported by the Nordic countries.

The Kremlin said it was "extremely concerned", saying it did not exclude "any" hypothesis, including that of sabotage.

If these two tubes did not work, one for technical reasons invoked by Russia, the other because of European sanctions, they were still filled with gas.