Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed laws to annex 4 territories of Ukraine, authorities paperwork confirmed.

The Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas are “accepted into the Russian Federation in accordance with the structure of the Russian Federation”, the paperwork mentioned.

Vladimir Putin additionally signed decrees formally appointing the present Moscow-backed heads of the 4 areas as their performing leaders.

Earlier, the annexation laws was unanimously supported by each Russia’s decrease and higher chambers of parliament.

President Putin final Friday presided over a grand ceremony on the Kremlin throughout which he signed agreements with the Moscow-installed leaders of the 4 areas to turn into topics of the Russian Federation, regardless of condemnation from Kyiv and its allies within the West.

The 4 territories create a vital land hall between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Collectively, the 5 areas make up round 20 % of Ukraine.

However Russian forces should not have full management over Kherson or Zaporizhzhia and the Kremlin has not but confirmed what areas of these areas are being annexed.

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