Day 217 Roundup: West Slams Referendum Results; Nord Stream Tensions Continue
After officials in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine declared referendum results pointing to their intent to join Russia, US, EU, and Ukrainian officials slammed the process, which they alleged was illegitimate.
Facts
- After officials in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine declared referendum results pointing to their intent to join Russia, US, EU, and Ukrainian officials slammed the process, which they alleged was illegitimate. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called the referendums a "sham" and said the US will table a Security Council resolution condemning them.
- Thomas-Greenfield added that the resolution, which Russia can veto, would further obligate the country to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said the referendums were conducted transparently and in line with international norms. According to pro-Russia officials in Ukraine, 99.23% of the Donetsk region voted in favor of joining Russia, as did 98.42% in Luhansk; 93.11% in Zaporizhzhia; and 87.05% in Kherson.
- Meanwhile, following blasts reported on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Tuesday, officials from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany have reportedly opened investigations. A number of unnamed European officials alleged, without providing evidence, that Russia was to blame. Russia's presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow wasn't responsible and was "extremely concerned."
- Although Russian gas supplies to Europe had been halted, residual methane in the pipes could be seen rising in bubbles near the site of the blasts. The release of methane - a potent greenhouse gas - at currently unknown rates prompted alarm about the potential environmental harm.
- While responsibility for the apparent sabotage is unclear, according to a report in Der Spiegel, the US CIA warned German officials about possible attacks on the pipelines – without specifying by who – as early as this summer. A German government spokesperson declined to comment.
- On the ground, while heavy fighting continued in some regions of Kharkiv that remain under Russian control, Ukrainian officials reported continued Russian shelling in the regions of Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, and Donetsk, where five civilians were reported killed and 10 more were injured.
Sources: Guardian, Reuters, Washington Post, US, and Ukrinform.
Narratives
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. Marching voters to the ballot box behind a gun barrel, Vladimir Putin has got the results he pre-ordained with this "election." This sham referendum is illegitimate and will have no impact on Ukraine's attempts to reclaim its territory.
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. These vital referendums were conducted transparently and by the standards of international norms. The people of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson freely decided to reunite with Russia. This is a momentous occasion.
