
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday (September 27) slammed annexation votes called by Russia in four occupied regions in Ukraine. Calling the vote a "sham", Stoltenberg said that it was "a blatant violation of international law"
He took to Twitter to say that he spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Just spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa & made clear that #NATO Allies are unwavering in our support for #Ukraine’s sovereignty & right to self-defence. The sham referenda held by #Russia have no legitimacy & are a blatant violation of international law. These lands are Ukraine," he tweeted.
The referendums are globally being viewed as an attempt to legitimise their annexation. Despite recent retreats, Russia control large swathes of territory in eastern Ukraine that have several important cities.
Meanwhile, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has again spoken of nuclear attack on Ukraine. Medvedev is a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin.
"Let's imagine that Russia is forced to use the most fearsome weapon against the Ukrainian regime which had committed a large-scale act of aggression that is dangerous for the very existence of our state," Medvedev said in a post on Telegram.
Medvedev's remarks quoted the exact terminology of one of the conditions of Russia's nuclear strike doctrine: "aggression against the Russian Federation with conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is threatened".
(With inputs from agencies)
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