As Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson face illegal annexation, doubts have been raised as to just how much of the territory Russian forces control.
Russia has illegitimately annexed four regions of Ukraine under Russian Federation control, a move not recognized by foreign governments including the U.S.
Citizens in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson were said to have voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining—results the U.S. State Department and democracy advocates described as a « sham. »
However, following Putin’s decree and signing on September 30, 2022, of annexation documents, there is still dispute over just how much of these regions Russian forces hold on to.
The Claim
Multiple tweets sent ahead of Putin’s decree to recognize the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, on September 30 claim that Russia does not have full control over the regions it wants to bring under its control.
In one of those tweets, CNN global affairs analyst Bianna Golodryga wrote: « Here’s the problem for the Kremlin: Russia doesn’t fully control these territories, and Ukraine is only going to double down on its already aggressive counteroffensives. »
The Facts
The four regions that Russia is expected to annex—Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk—were subject to a series of illegitimate referendums, which the Russians falsely claim give them formal grounds for annexation.
However, even as Putin lays claim on the regions, not one of them is currently under full control occupied by Russian forces, with some areas that remained outside Russia’s reach and others recently reclaimed by Ukrainian counteroffensives.
