A signing ceremony accepting occupied Ukrainian territories into the Russian Federation will take place on Friday, Russian media reported on Thursday.Following the referenda on becoming part of Russia in the Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, President Vladimir Putin will give a speech and participate in a signing ceremony officiating the annexation.
"Tomorrow at 15:00 in the Grand Kremlin Palace, in the St. George's Hall, a ceremony will be held to sign agreements on the entry of new territories into the Russian Federation," press secretary Dmitry Peskov said according to Russian state media outlet RIA.
Putin will meet with the Russian-installed heads of the regions at the ceremony, according to TASS. Their on Wednesday had formally asked Putin to incorporate them into Russia, which Russian officials have suggested is a formality."The results are clear. Welcome home, to Russia!" Dmitry Medvedev, a former president who serves as deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said on Telegram, after the release of the results.
"Tomorrow at 15:00 in the Grand Kremlin Palace, in the St. George's Hall, a ceremony will be held to sign agreements on the entry of new territories into the Russian Federation."
Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov
Referendums in occupied Ukrainian territory
Russian-backed authorities claim to have carried out the referenda over five days on territory that makes up around 15% of Ukraine.
Residents who escaped to Ukrainian-held territory in recent days have told of people being forced to tick ballots in the street by roving officials at gunpoint. Footage filmed during the exercise showed Russian-installed officials taking ballot boxes from house to house with armed men in tow.
Russia says voting was voluntary and turnout high.
"This farce in the occupied territories cannot even be called an imitation of a referendum," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in video address on Tuesday night.