Putin's Annexation Of 4 Ukrainian Regions Gets Russian Parliament's Stamp

Days after President Vladimir Putin held an official signing ceremony at the Kremlin palace, the Russian parliament on Tuesday voted to approve the formal incorporation of four Ukrainian regions into the country.

What Happened: The Federation Council, which houses Putin’s allies, on Tuesday, unanimously ratified legislation to annex four regions of Ukraine — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — reported Reuters. 

On Monday, a similar vote was held in the State Duma, Russia's lower house.

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The report noted that the annexation document would now be sent back to the Kremlin for Putin's final signature to annex the four regions.

This comes after Russia declared victory in a series of UN-condemned "referendums" to annex a large chunk of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. The referendums marked a new escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war and the spiraling conflict between Putin and the West. 

While the decision to annex the four regions has passed through Russia's rubber-stamp parliament, Putin is yet to formally designate the borders for the regions, where large parts are under Ukraine's control.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said consultations were under process regarding the borders of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Russia does not fully control any of the four regions Ukrainian regions.

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