Ukraine War Update: White House says Putin looking to annex parts of Ukraine

by ian

Ian Patrick, FISM News,

 

The war in Ukraine could dramatically change as Russian President Vladimir Putin is “laying the groundwork” to annex multiple parts of Ukraine that it controls, according to intelligence acquired by the United States.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a White House press briefing on Tuesday that “Russia is laying the groundwork to annex Ukrainian territory that it controls in direct violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty,” citing “downgraded intelligence” and public reports.

We have seen ample evidence in the intelligence and in the public domain that Russia intends to try to annex additional Ukrainian territory. Russia is beginning to roll out a version of what you could call an annexation playbook, very similar to the one we saw in 2014.

Kirby referenced the strategy Russia used to annex the Crimea territory in 2014, saying “we know their next moves.” Similar to 2014, Russia has established proxy leaders in areas it currently controls which will introduce “sham referenda on joining Russia.” Ultimately, the Russian government will use to stake claim over the lands according to Kirby.

As for when these referenda will take place, Kirby said there has been no official declaration of a timeline. However, he did say the proxy leaders claim it could happen “in conjunction with Russia’s September regional elections.”

The Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions are all areas likely to be annexed as part of this plan.

Kirby also said that Russia is already looking to establish the ruble as the primary currency in these areas and plans to limit internet access for civilians as a means of stifling opposition. FISM News previously reported that Putin was also fast-tracking the ability for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, which was seen as a way of maintaining Russia’s control in those regions.

Kirby says that the U.S. remains staunchly opposed to Russia gaining any new territory in Ukraine and would not allow the annexation to go forward “unchallenged or unpunished.” The Biden administration will be announcing a new package of support for the Ukrainian government and people, which includes military equipment and ammunition.

The U.S. will sanction the proxies that are in place in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian regions.

The Russian embassy in the United States said these reports were “fundamentally false,” according to a report from Reuters.

Axios World editor David Lawler writes that the annexation of these territories “would be a massive gamble for Russian President Vladimir Putin.” Despite announcing victory in many of these locations, Russia is continuing to fight Ukrainian counterattacks.

“If he does declare these areas to be Russian soil, Putin will dramatically raise the stakes of any future territorial losses and could preclude any peace agreement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may find acceptable,” Lawler writes.

Russia and Iran cement partnership to deter “Western deception”

The intelligence report follows Putin’s trip to Iran on Tuesday, marking the first time that the Russian leader stepped out of the boundaries of the former Soviet Union since the invasion of Ukraine.

During the meeting, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Russia and Iran should work together in a long-term capacity. Khamenei said this was to stay wary of what he called “Western deception,” according to a report from Reuters.

Khamenei also encouraged the use of individual currencies in trading goods, taking a swipe at the U.S. dollar. “The U.S. dollar should be gradually taken off global trade, and this can be done gradually,” he said.

Russia has been forced to use its own currency due to Western sanctions as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. Khamenei expressed support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, telling Putin that if he didn’t start the invasion then “the other side would have caused a war on its own initiative.”

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