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According to analysts, this expected referendum step would lead to a series of other referendums throughout the regions that Russia has controlled inside Ukraine, since the start of its military operation there on February 24, which will practically mean the division of Ukraine.
Analysts also warned that this "It may lead to prolonging the war, and later turning it into a long attrition conflict".
Commenting on the announcement of the referendum on joining Russia in the Zaporozhyesays a professor at the Faculty of Orientalism at the Moscow Higher School of Economics, Rami Al-Qalyubi, in an interview with the website "Sky News Arabia": "Not only in Zaporozhye, but there are indications that the scenario of holding self-determination referendums will be repeated in various Russian-controlled areas in Ukraine.".
He explains: "One of the most prominent of these indicators is that Russian advisers and experts are sent to these regions to train local officials to conduct elections and referendums. Therefore, it is clear that these referendums will take place on the model of the referendum under which Crimea was annexed to Russia in 2014.".
The expert on Russia adds: "This Russian plan may collide with obstacles, including the Ukrainian military campaign once morest Kherson For example, which will lead to a Russian military response and intensify Moscow’s combat operations once more in the Ukrainian field, which will of course lead to a further aggravation of the situation.".
In the event that all these areas are annexed to Russian sovereignty, Al-Qalyubi says: "The active phase will often subside from Russian military operation in UkraineAfter that, a long-term war of attrition may begin, as Moscow clearly remains committed to its long-term goal, which is to change the government in Kyiv, which may be prolonged, and remains subject to a number of internal Ukrainian and international factors and considerations, while the Ukrainian side, on the other hand, insists on describing These polls are fake".
For her part, the Russian researcher specializing in international relations, Lana Badfan, told "Sky News Arabia": "Since the beginning of the Russian military operation, Moscow has taken control of Zaporozhye, which is of strategic importance, especially as it provides, through its nuclear reactor, electrical power for the whole of Ukraine.".
She continues, explaining: "And because Kyiv was depriving the Crimea of electricity and water, as it did with the republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, the Russians were keen to control Zaporozhye since the beginning of the war, in order to ease the burden on those regions and provide them with electrical and water supplies.".
Badfan continues: "Now, announcing the organization of the referendum is a legitimate right of the residents of the Zaporizhia region, as they are the ones who will decide either to join Russia or remain in Ukraine, a process that will not be hindered by Kyiv’s protests once morest it, describing it as a forgery, as Zelensky said".
And she adds: "The matter will obviously include the various areas of Russian control, such as Kherson and the Territory DonbassIt may even reach the point of joining the republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, which are located within that region, to Russia, by organizing two popular referendums.".
This announcement of the referendum comes following recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he said: "If Moscow proceeds with holding referendums in areas controlled by its loyal forces, there will be no talks with Ukraine or its international allies.".
He added: "If the occupiers continue down the path of sham referendums, they will close themselves off any opportunity for talks with Ukraine and the free world, which the Russian side will clearly need at some point.".
It is noteworthy that the pro-Moscow authorities in the southern Ukrainian province of Kherson had confirmed earlier that they were seeking to hold a referendum to annex the province to Russian territory.
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According to analysts, this expected referendum step would lead to a series of other referendums throughout the regions that Russia has controlled inside Ukraine, since the start of its military operation there on February 24, which will practically mean the division of Ukraine.
Analysts also warned that this “may lead to a prolongation of the war, and its subsequent transformation into a long attrition conflict.”
Commenting on the announcement of the referendum on joining Russia in the ZaporozhyeRami Al-Qalyubi, a professor at the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Moscow Higher School of Economics, said in an interview with Sky News Arabia: “Not only in Zaporozhye, but there are indications that the scenario of holding referendums for self-determination will be repeated in the various regions controlled by the Russians in Ukraine. “.
He explained: “One of the most prominent of these indicators is that Russian advisers and experts are sent to these regions to train local officials to conduct elections and referendums. Therefore, it is clear that these referendums will take place on the model of the referendum under which Crimea was annexed to Russia in 2014.“.
And the expert on Russian affairs adds: “This Russian plan may run into obstacles, including the Ukrainian military campaign once morest… Kherson For example, which will lead to a Russian military response and intensify Moscow’s combat operations once more in the Ukrainian field, which will of course lead to a further aggravation of the situation.”
In the event of the annexation of these various areas to Russian sovereignty, Al-Qalyubi says: “The active phase of the regime will likely ease up.” Russian military operation in UkraineAfter that, a long-term war of attrition may begin, as Moscow clearly remains committed to its long-term goal, which is to change the government in Kyiv, which may be prolonged, and remains subject to a number of internal Ukrainian and international factors and considerations, while the Ukrainian side, on the other hand, insists on describing These polls are fake“.
For her part, the Russian researcher specializing in international relations, Lana Badfan, told Sky News Arabia: “Since the beginning of the Russian military operation, Moscow has taken control of Zaporozhye, which is of strategic importance, especially as it provides, through its nuclear reactor, electrical power for all of Ukraine.”
And she continues, explaining: “Because Kyiv was depriving the Crimea of electricity and water, as it did with the republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, the Russians were keen to control Zaporozhye since the beginning of the war, in order to ease the burden on those areas and provide them with electrical and water supplies.”“.
And Pavan continues: “Now, the announcement of the organization of the referendum is a legitimate right of the residents of the Zaporizhia region, as they are the ones who will decide either to join Russia or remain within Ukraine, a process that will not be hampered by Kyiv’s protests once morest it, describing it as a forgery, as Zelensky said.“.
And she added: “The matter will obviously include the various areas of Russian control, such as Kherson and the Territory DonbassIt may even come to the point that the republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, which are located within that region, join Russia by organizing two popular referendums.
The announcement of the referendum comes following recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said that “if Moscow proceeds with holding referendums in areas controlled by forces loyal to it, there will be no talks with Ukraine or its international allies.”
“If the occupiers continue to go on the path of sham referendums, they will close off any opportunity for talks with Ukraine and the free world, which the Russian side will clearly need at some point,” he added.“.
It is noteworthy that the pro-Moscow authorities in the southern Ukrainian province of Kherson had confirmed earlier that they were seeking to hold a referendum to annex the province to Russian territory.
