<Anchor>
Russia announced today (30th) that it will sign a treaty for territorial annexation with four occupied territories in Ukraine that have decided to incorporate Russia through a referendum.
Ukrainian President Zelensky warned that he would "take a harsh response," and the UN Secretary-General strongly criticized Russia's attempts to annex the territory, saying, "The referendum in Russian-occupied territories has no legal effect."
Kwak Sang-eun is a correspondent in Paris.
<Reporter>
The Kremlin of Russia announced today that it will sign a treaty to annex four occupied territories of Ukraine into its new territory.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic of eastern Ukraine, which have recently passed a territorial annexation plan through a referendum, and Zaporiza and Kherson provinces in the south are the subjects of this treaty.
The treaty ceremony will be held at the Kremlin at 3 pm local time, with Russian President Vladimir Putin attending.
Putin will also meet with the heads of the administrations of the four occupied territories before the treaty is signed, and all of the pro-Russian heads of government have already gathered in Moscow.
After the treaty is signed, the formal merger process is finalized after ratification by the Senate and House of Representatives and the final signature of the President.
Ukrainian President Zelensky said in a statement that he would take 'severe measures', saying, "You cannot change the reality with a useless referendum."