Pro-Russia Officer Claims Of Referendum Victory, United Nations Affirms Commitment To Ukraine's Territorial Integrity

Illustration of the implementation of referendum in Russia-occupied Ukrainian territory. (Source: TASS/Yegor Aleyev)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine's "territorial integrity" on Tuesday, when pro-Moscow authorities in parts of the war-torn country claimed victory in the internationally condemned anecdation vote as false.

"The United Nations remains fully committed to Ukraine's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders," Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peace Development banning DiCarlo told a UN Security Council meeting, citing CNA from AFP Sept. 28.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video link criticized the hasty vote in Russia's occupied territory, Donetsk and Lugansk in the east as well as Kherson and Zaporizhia in the south.

"There is a very cynical effort to force the men in Ukrainian occupied areas to mobilize the Russian army, to send them to fight against their own homeland," he accused.

"In front of the eyes of the whole world, Russia is making a direct joke called a'referendum' in Ukraine's occupied territory," President Zelensky said.

"People are forced to fill some paper for TV images under the machine gun's nose. The figures of the alleged pseudo-referendum results have been withdrawn previously," he criticized.

Targeting Russian leader Vladmir Putin, President Zelensky warned that "exportation is the type of move that puts him alone against all mankind."

"What is clear now is that it is needed from every country in the world," he said.

President Zelensky further said the vote meant Kyiv would not negotiate with Moscow.

"There is nothing to talk about with the current Russian president," he said.