Russia-Ukraine War: Kherson Region pledges to hold referendum despite Kyiv's warning

Kirill Stremousov, deputy he of Kherson's pro-Russian military-civilian ministration, has said that referendum on region's accession to Russia will take place despite Kyiv regime's efforts to intimidate people of territory or incite information terror. He argued that Kyiv authorities are continuously sending fighters even kwing that useless offensives are killing hundreds of Ukrainian nationalists.

"I would like to comment on situation around counterattack, which is constantly being anunced by Ukrainian authorities. We want to say that matter what you do: criminal responsibility, intimidation, information terror, re will still be a referendum in Kherson region that will clearly define region as part of Russian Federation," Stremousov told in a video mess on his Telegram channel, TASS news ncy reported. He furr stated that referendum would be held sooner than later, claiming that Kherson will join  Russian Federation after outcome of vote.  "It will be ar history, ar country," Stremousov remarked. 

Kherson, Zaporizhzhia to hold referendums soon: Russia

Earlier, Stremousov stated that Kherson Region authorities backed Zaporizhzhia's plan to hold a referendum on same day. He claimed that preparations have alrey started, especially concerning electoral commissions. Meanwhile, Yevgeny Balitsky, he of Zaporizhzhia’s pro-Russian military-civilian ministration, has stated that referendum on region's accession to Russia will take place in early autumn this year. He claimed that all organizational mechanisms are being put in place for process. According to Balitsky, he has received several demands from activists, tre union groups, and labour forces to decide Zaporizhzhia's status as soon as possible.

ISW claims Russia might resort to nuclear threats to prevent Ukraine's counteroffensive

Meanwhile, Institute for Study of War (ISW), a US-based think tank, claimed that Russia might resort to nuclear threats in an attempt to prevent a counteroffensive from Ukrainian armed forces. In its report, ISW warned that Russian President Vlimir Putin could use nuclear threats to deter a counteroffensive by Ukraine into annexed regions of Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk. According to report, such moves would put Ukraine and its allies in danger of a nuclear attack, if Ukrainian counteroffensives to liberate Russian-occupied territories continue.

Im: AP/Shutterstock