Germany to not accept 'sham' referendums by Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine: Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will never accept the results of "sham" referendums on joining Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine, media reports said citing a government spokesperson.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will never accept the results of "sham" referendums on joining Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine, media reports said citing a government spokesperson. According to Al Jazeera, Scholz made these remarks in conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Scholz reaffirmed Germany's stance saying that the country's support to Ukraine remains unwavered.

Financial, political and humanitarian support for Ukraine would not waver and it would continue to back Ukraine in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including weapons deliveries, Al Jazeera reported citing a statement by a German government spokesperson. This comes as referendums were organized on the annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine which are largely seen as sham referendums and have been widely criticised by various countries.

"Canada does not and will not ever recognise the results of these sham referendums or Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories," Trudeau said in a statement, reported Al Jazeera. Serbia, too, will not recognise the results of referendums held in four regions of Ukraine partly occupied by Russian forces, President Aleksandar Vucic has said, as per the portal.

"Serbia ... will not recognise that [referendums] as it adheres to international law, the United Nations Charter and UN resolutions," Vucic said. Russia's partial mobilisation announced last Wednesday will likely be one of his first big logistical challenges with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing to be equipped and trained before deployment.

The voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine started on Friday, dramatically raised the stakes seven months after the Russia-Ukraine war. US President Joe Biden has dismissed the referendums as a "sham... a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law".

The snap referendums were announced after a Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region - bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation. Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied around to start rebuilding before winter sets in. (ANI)

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