Moscow promises ‘complete protection’ to any territories annexed by Russia

• Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russian territory would be under Russia’s “full protection” if annexed by Moscow.
• Referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions are aimed at annexing territory Russia has taken by force.
• Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the referendums as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war.

Russia has sought to defend its seven-month-old war at the United Nations, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declaring that regions of Ukraine where widely criticised referendums are taking place would be under Russia’s “full protection” if annexed by Moscow.

On Sunday, the referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions aimed at annexing territory taken by force by Russia since its invasion in February entered their third day, and the Russian parliament could move to formalise the annexation within days.

The referendums have been dismissed by Ukraine and its Western allies as a sham intended to justify an escalation of the war and a mobilisation drive by Moscow in the aftermath of recent battlefield losses.

President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s first military mobilisation since World War II on Wednesday, sparking nationwide protests and sending hordes of military-age men fleeing, causing border delays and sold-out flights out of the country.

Russia’s two most senior lawmakers addressed a slew of complaints about the mobilisation on Sunday, ordering regional officials to get a handle on the situation and quickly resolve the “excesses” that have infuriated the public.

On Saturday, Lavrov addressed the United Nations General Assembly and the world’s media in New York, attempting to justify Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, repeating Moscow’s false claims that the elected government in Kyiv was illegitimately installed and tainted with neo-Nazis.

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He limited his opposition to what Russia calls a “special operation” to the United States and countries under its control. Almost three-quarters of the states in the assembly voted to reprimand Russia and demand that its troops withdraw.

In a press conference following his speech, Lavrov stated that if Russia annexes the regions where elections are taking place, they will have “full protection” from Moscow.

When asked if Russia would have grounds to use nuclear weapons to defend annexed territories, Lavrov stated that Russian territory, including territory “further enshrined” in Russia’s constitution in the future, “is under full state protection.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons were “absolutely unacceptable,” and Kyiv would not cave.

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