Moscow: Donbass, Kherson & Zaporozhye Regions Made 'Conscious, Free Choice' to Join Russia

The referendums were held on September 23-27, with the Donbass Republics and liberated regions overwhelmingly voting to join the Russian Federation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry addressed the referendums on joining Russia, noting that people made their free choice.

"The results of the vote speak for themselves: the residents of Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye do not want to return to their old lives and have made a conscious and free choice in favor of Russia," the statement read.

The ministry stressed that the votes were held in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, citing the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1975 Helsinki Accords and the 2010 ruling of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo.

A polling station in Lugansk, where people vote in a referendum on making the Lugansk People's Republic a part of Russia.

© Sputnik / Valery Melnikov

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Over the past five days, voter turnout in the DPR, LPR, and Kherson region and Zaporozhye region far exceeded the threshold of 50% of registered voters. People were coming to the polling stations despite Ukrainian bombardments and the threat of terror attacks.

The results proved major support for joining Russia among the voters: 99.23% in the Donetsk People's Republic; 98.42% in the Lugansk People's Republic; 87.05% in Kherson region and 93.11% in Zaporozhye region approved the decision to join the Russian Federation.

A woman casts her ballot in the referendum on joining Russia in the Donetsk People's Republic.

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After the outcome of the referendums was declared, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council and former President Dmitry Medvedev claimed in his post on Telegram that the results of the referenda are "clear" and greeted the people of Donbass, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions, saying "Welcome home, to Russia!"