Russian referendums in Ukraine a violation of international law

26 September 2022

ActionSA denounces the illegitimate referendums being held at Moscow’s behest in occupied regions of Ukraine. These sham referendums are a violation of the United Nations Charter, and do not have standing in international law. Ukraine’s sovereignty cannot be overruled by referendums imposed by Russia in an attempt to legitimise their aggression in Ukraine.

It is clear that, as Russia loses momentum, calls for annexation can be used to advance a war of aggression. Through the illegitimate annexation of Ukrainian territory, Moscow seeks to reframe its war as one of self-defence. This would allow Putin to escalate the conflict and justify the potential use of nuclear weapons at its disposal. This would be a catastrophic move that the international community must avoid at all costs.

As Ukraine approaches the United Nations to intervene, ActionSA stands with the international community’s efforts to stop the escalation of this war under false pretences and bring an end to the protracted invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.

Issued by Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, 26 September 2022