Breakaway Luhansk To Hold Referendum On Joining Russia 23-27 Sep-TASS

Russia's state-run TASS reporting that the breakaway Ukrainian region of Luhansk is set to hold a referendum on joining Russia from 23-27 September, quoting the Deputy Parliament Speaker of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that it 'is an issue for those who live there' to decide.

• There is little expectation that any vote in the Russian-occupied region would be held in a free and fair manner, with a vote to join Russia essentially a certainty.
• The referendum announcement comes as Ukrainian forces continue to push eastwards following their successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region, which is now bearing down on the Luhansk region in the Donbas.
• The full annexation of the Luhansk region risks further escalation. With NATO providing weaponry to Ukraine, Moscow may begin to argue after annexation that the West is providing materiel for direct attacks on Russian territory, rather than the so-called LPR.