Zaporizhzhia Governor signs edict to hold referendum on region's union with Russia

Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-appointed regional governor of Zaporizhzhia, signed an order authorising the holding of a referendum on the region's reunification with Russia, according to RIA Novosti. Balitsky signed the document at the Melitopol forum of the public movement,"We are together with Russia".

Over 700 representatives from the region attended the event. Vladimir Rogov, a participant in the forum and a member of the regional administration's main council, read out the appeal of the attendees. The hands went up in unanimity throughout the entire room of delegates.

The statement read, "Based on the principle of free choice, taking the opinion of every resident of our region as the main value, we declare our intention to hold a referendum on the entry of the Zaporizhzhia region into the Russian Federation as a full-fledged subject. We are one people and we will be together."

In his video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that holding referendums would eliminate any possibility of negotiations with Ukraine for Moscow. As Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president's press secretary, noted in response that Zelenskyy should not address Russia here, but the residents of these territories, as this is their desire.

The Kherson region and the Azov portion of the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine were taken over by Russian forces during the military operation. The formation of new regional governments, the start of the ruble's exchange, and the broadcasting of Russian TV and radio stations are all recent developments. Both regions declared their intention to become Russian subjects.

Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for resuming shelling of Zaporizhzhia NPP, Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Further, Zelenskyy, has called for new international sanctions against Russia for "nuclear terrorism." The United Nations nuclear watchdog has demanded an immediate cessation of all military action near the plant after it was shelled on the night of August 6, causing one of the reactors to shut down and creating a "very real risk of a nuclear disaster".

Further, according to Balitsky, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station is operating normally. Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine's state nuclear power company, Energoatom, has called for the plant to be declared a military-free zone, with a team of peacekeepers stationed there.

Image: AP