Blaming Russia Voting, President Zelensky: This Joke Can't Even Be Called A Referendum Copy

President Volodymyr Zelensky in Izumi City, Kharkiv. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a new censure on Tuesday about Russia's vote in occupied Ukraine in favor of a proposal to become part of Russia, calling it a farce that cannot be described as a legitimate referendum.

"This joke in the occupied territories cannot even be called a clone of the referendum," President Zelensky said in his evening video address.

President Zelensky said Ukraine would defend its people who are still living under occupation in the four regions where the polls were held, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, and in parts of the Kharkiv region that are still under occupation.

Russian officials in occupied Ukraine reported a large majority on Tuesday in favor of becoming part of Russia, after five days of voting in the so-called referendum condemned by Kyiv and the West as sham.

Voting takes place in Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, making up about 15 percent of Ukraine's territory.

Lugansk authorities say 98.5 percent of people there have voted to join Russia, based on 69 percent of the votes counted.

In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian-appointed official put the figure at 93.1 percent with the tally now complete. While in Kherson support the referendum is running more than 87 percent, according to the chairman of the voting committee.

Russia's TASS news agency said 93.95 percent in the Donetsk region had voted in favor, with nearly 32 percent of the votes counted.

In his speech, President Zelensky also said there would soon be good news from the front lines of fighting, but did not provide details for now.

"We will advance and will free up our land," he concluded.