September 20, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

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A senior State Department official on Tuesday called the planned referendums in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine an “incredibly crass and desperate move” by President Vladimir Putin, but declined to go into details about how the US will respond if they move forward.

Russian-backed officials in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson announced they will hold votes this week on joining Russia. The US has warned for months of “sham” referendums that Putin would use to justify seizing Ukrainian territory.

If they go ahead, the US has made clear there will be “increased consequences,” the official said. 

The official reiterated that the referendums won’t change the status of Ukraine and recognition of its territorial and sovereign boundaries. 

Rockets hit multi-story residential buildings in the Kholodnogorsk district of Kharkiv overnight on Wednesday, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a Telegram post.

Information on casualties is still being gathered, Terekhov said.

The mayor added that responders were working to rescue several people who were trapped at one location. 

CNN’s team in Kharkiv heard several loud explosions at around 1:52 a.m. local time.

The US has been in conversation with India about the country moving away from its reliance on Russia for weaponry and energy, a US senior State Department official said Tuesday.

And the sense is that Indian officials are “coming to understand that there could be real benefits for them,” the official said.

The official noted that Russia was no longer a reliable weapons supplier. 

“On the energy side, as you know, we want to keep Russian oil on the market, but we want everybody whether they join the price cap idea formally, or whether they’re just in their own negotiations with Russia, to pay … a price that does not fuel or overly fuel Putin’s war machine,” the official said.

The US diplomatic push follows remarks last week by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in a striking rebuke told Russian President Vladimir Putin that “today’s era is not of war.”

The senior State Department official suggested that atrocities like those uncovered in Izium were driving countries away from tacitly supporting Russia.

Russia is not expected to attend the UN Security Council meeting on Ukrainian sovereignty that is scheduled for Thursday, according to a senior State Department official.

 “It does not seem that the Russian Foreign Minister will be there,” the official said. “My understanding is that Russia will not be represented.”

 As of last week, US officials had said they thought Russia would attend. 

The meeting was expected to be the single event where US and Russian diplomats were going to be in the same room. 

“We understand that foreign ministers from all P5 countries are likely to attend as well as the Foreign Minister of Ukraine,” said Assistant Secretary Michele Sison when previewing the security council meeting as part of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s schedule.

The senior State Department official declined to say if Russia was boycotting the meeting, referring questions to the Russian delegation. But the official said “that’s right” when asked if Russia won’t be present because they do not want to be there.

CNN has reached out to the Russian UN Mission for comment.

 It is also unclear if China is going to attend the meeting. 

“We will have more on that over the next couple of days,” the official said. 

There were several large explosions in the city of Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine early Wednesday.

As air raid sirens wailed, CNN’s team on the ground heard 6-7 “large explosions.”

It’s been just over two weeks since Ukraine launched a counter-offensive in the northeast Kharkiv region that allowed Kyiv to recapture thousands of square miles of territory that had been occupied by Russia for months.

The explosions happened at about 1:52 a.m. local time.

Referendums in Russian-occupied territories will have no effect on the actions of the Ukrainian army, and its counteroffensive and the liberation of the occupied territories will continue, Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, told CNN on Tuesday. 

According to Podolyak, any Russian-organized referendums on Ukrainian territory would be “absolutely meaningless.”

The proposed referendums are a reaction to defeats of the Russian army and the loss of Putin’s influence, Podolyak said, adding that “active hostilities are taking place in these territories” and that “there is no possibility for any other actions except for the blockade to be lifted by military means.”

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned planned referendums by Russian-backed authorities in Ukraine, calling them a “violation of international law” and a further escalation of the war.

Trudeau’s comments come as Russia and multiple Kremlin-backed authorities in eastern and southern Ukraine have announced that referendums on joining Russia would be held this week. Ukraine has dismissed the moves as a “sham” stemming from the “fear of defeat.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called for an extension of the deal to allow Ukrainian grain to transit through the Black Sea, which is due to expire in mid-November.

Blinken noted that the agreement between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by the UN and Turkey, “should never have been necessary in the first place,” but was required after Russia’s war blocked thousands of tons of grain at Ukrainian ports. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently suggested he could pull out of the agreement.

“As you heard from some of my colleagues, despite some of the misinformation that continues to come from Moscow, that grain and other food products are getting where they need to go, to the countries most in need, predominantly in the Global South,” Blinken said.

The top US diplomat called on countries to do more to respond to the food insecurity crisis, noting that “action is crucial.” 

“Some countries with the capacity to do more are among those doing the least. That needs to change,” Blinken said, without naming names. “And no matter what countries have done so far, every country is called upon to do more.”

He said President Joe Biden would be announcing new assistance from the US on Wednesday. 

Blinken also called for a strengthening of global food systems to increase the ability of countries to respond to shocks and the effects of the climate crisis. He said the US government will work with Congress over the next five years to invest over $11 billion toward this aim.

An undated US State Department photo of Ambassador Lynne Tracy.

The White House announced Lynne Tracy as President Joe Biden’s nominee for US ambassador to Russia on Tuesday, as first reported last week by CNN’s Kylie Atwood. 

In a release Tuesday, the White House also announced the nominee for US ambassador to Barbados, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, along with two members of the board for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

Some context: The Biden administration hopes to get Tracy in place swiftly to replace John Sullivan who stepped down earlier this month.

The timing of her arrival will depend on Russia agreeing to accept her as ambassador at a time of huge tension between Washington and Moscow as the war in Ukraine continues.

The nomination of Tracy will mark a complete overhaul of leadership at the embassy in Moscow. Sullivan had not been present in Russia for most of the summer because he had been in the US with his wife who had been seriously ill and died last week.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday that Russian troops “appear on the ropes” in Ukraine and that the Kremlin’s actions, including supporting what she described as “sham referenda” in some Ukrainian regions, were a desperate move by President Vladimir Putin.

In an interview on MSNBC, Sherman said there are concerns that Putin “will use kinds of weapons of war that he should not,” noting he had already weaponized food.

Some context: Multiple Kremlin-backed authorities in eastern and southern Ukraine announced referendums on joining Russia will be held this week. Ukraine has dismissed the move as stemming from “fear of defeat.”

Multiple Kremlin-backed authorities in eastern and southern Ukraine suddenly announced referendums on joining Russia will be held this week.

If you’re just joining us here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

While previous plans for such a vote have been delayed, there was a flurry of announcements from different Russian-backed officials in occupied regions in Ukraine — all set on voting from Sept. 23 to Sept. 27.

Kherson: Russian-backed head of the Kherson administration, Vladimir Saldo, said he “signed a decree” for the referendum, which also established the procedure for organizing voting and “measures of administrative and criminal liability for violation of these rules.” Parts of Kherson are on the front lines between Ukrainian and Russian forces.

Luhansk People’s Republic: The leader of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, also signed a law on a referendum. According to the text, “the Central Election Commission of the LPR will determine the results of the referendum on the Republic’s entry into the LPR no later than five days after the last voting day,” according to local media portal Lug-Info.

Dontesk People’s Republic: The self-declared DPR agreed to hold a referendum and the head said he wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him for the rapid accession of the republic to the Russian Federation once a referendum is held.

Zaporizhzhia: The so-called National Congress of Citizens of the Zaporizhzhia Region has approved a referendum, said Vladimir Rogov, a senior pro-Russian official in occupied Zaporizhzhia. “Technically, we are ready. Security of polling stations is ensured. Our borders are reliably protected by the Russian military,” said Yevgeniy Balitskiy, the Russian-appointed head of the Zaporizhzhia regional administration

Ukrainian response: Ukrainian officials condemned these announcements. The foreign ministry said the “fake plebiscites” will not change the “administrative-territorial structure and internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.” The ministry called the vote “forced citizenship” of residents and said it is “another attempt of Russia to legitimize the consequences of its aggressive war against Ukraine.”

Russian response: The announcements have received swift support from Russian politicians. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has publicly endorsed referendums in the self-declared Donbas republics, saying it will have “huge significance” for “systemic protection” of the residents. “Not one future leader of Russia, not one official will be able to reverse these decisions,” he added.

US response: The Pentagon said that announcements are “simply an information operation that’s meant to distract from the difficult state that the Russian military currently finds itself in.” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield also condemned the moves on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian flag has been raised on the border between the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, according to a Telegram post from Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk region military administration on Tuesday.

Fierce battles were being fought in the area until recently, but now only abandoned equipment and minefields remain, Kyrylenko said.

“Together with the First Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yevhen Yenin and the Head of the State Emergency Service Serhiі Kruk, we went to the site to assess the scale of work to be done on demining,” Kyrylenko said.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba Tuesday, and they both condemned the announcement of referendums announced by Russian-backed officials within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, according to Nate Evans, a spokesperson for the United States Mission to the United Nations [USUN].

Thomas-Greenfield “reiterated that the United States will not recognize any attempt by Russia to claim annexation of Ukraine’s sovereign territory,” Evans said in a readout.

The referendums “are an affront to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that are at heart of the UN Charter,” the readout added.

The two “assessed the progress made under the Black Sea Grain Initiative in getting Ukrainian agricultural products to market” and reiterated the importance for all member states to defend the UN Charter and to “work together to address the crises Russia’s war against Ukraine has exacerbated, including global food insecurity.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday called for an end to the “Russian-Ukrainian crisis” saying the seven-month war had sent a “wave of shock” around the globe.

In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Erdoğan said, “war will never have a triumph, and a fair peace process will not have a loser.” 

Erdoğan called on the world to “support the peaceful initiatives of Turkey to settle this dispute once and for all. We need a dignified way out of this crisis. And that can only be possible through a diplomatic solution which is rational, which is fair, and which is applicable.” 

Some background: The president has played the role of a key party in a UN-brokered deal between Moscow and Kyiv to allow a resumption of grain shipments from the Black sea ports in Ukraine.

Erdoğan called this agreement “one of the greatest accomplishments of the United Nations in the recent decades.”

He said Turkey is investing in efforts to bring the war to an end and urged international organizations and other countries to its efforts.

“We are investing tremendous efforts in order to ensure that the war will be finalized by protecting the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine once and for all,” Erdoğan said, adding, “we would like to launch an appeal to all the international organizations and countries of the world to to support peaceful initiatives of Turkey to settle this dispute.”

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a news briefing on September 6.

The Pentagon said that declarations from leaders of the self-declared Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics to hold referendums on joining the Russian Federation are serving as a distraction after Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive.

“This is simply an information operation that’s meant to distract from the difficult state that the Russian military currently finds itself in,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing at the Pentagon Tuesday.

Ryder called the call for referendums part of the Russian “playbook.”

Ryder said the referendums will have no credibility and won’t impact US support to Ukraine. 

“No one will view such sham referenda with any credibility and the US certainly will not recognize the outcome of any sham elections,” Ryder said. “We will continue to work with Ukraine and our international partners to provide them with the support they need.”

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, made amendments to the law on military service on Tuesday, toughening the punishment for violation of military service duties — such as desertion and evasion from service — according to state news agency TASS.

The bill sets a jail term of up to 15 years for resistance related to military service or coercion to violate an official military order, involving violence or the threat of its use, during the period of mobilization or martial law.

Separately, State Duma deputies and senators have prepared amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, proposing to introduce liability of up to five years of jail time for the destruction or negligent damage of weapons and military equipment during wartime, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The deputies have also introduced concepts of “mobilization,” “martial law,” “wartime,” and “armed conflict” into the Criminal Code of Russia, which will now be regarded as aggravating factors in criminal sentencing.

Remember: Politicians and political commentators in Russia have started debating mobilization, even as the Kremlin denied any discussions about a nationwide mobilization of troops. It could mean extending conscription for soldiers currently in the armed forces, calling on reservists or bringing in men of fighting age who have had military training.

The measures in the State Duma came before the referendum announcements in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine on Tuesday. 

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba talks with the US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield before the start of their meeting in New York on Tuesday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is focusing on the global spillover effects on the energy and food crises of the Ukraine war during his meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, according to UN diplomats familiar with the matter. 

Kuleba is doing this with a specific goal in mind: To try and maintain solidarity among the nations who support Ukraine by recognizing the impacts that the war is having on their country, the diplomats said.

While the devastation in Ukraine is immense, Ukrainian government officials believe that highlighting how the war’s impact outside the borders of Ukraine is most likely to drive continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. 

The food crisis is a central spillover effect that is being felt globally, and the Ukrainians are pushing for the current grain deal to be maintained and extended, diplomats said. 

Meanwhile, US and European officials feel confident that this week will fuel continued support for Ukraine, US and European officials said.

There are a few factors contributing to that expectation. First, Ukraine’s gains on the battlefield have put the wind at their back because it wouldn’t be a good look for countries to back away from supporting Ukraine while they are having success. Second, the comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian President Narendra Modi last week give further momentum to holding the line in terms of support for Ukraine, officials explained. 

Some background: Last week, Modi told Putin that “today’s era is not of war” – a significant rebuke from a leader who has stayed largely silent on the conflict throughout its more than six months duration.

On Thursday, during a meeting with the Chinese leader, Putin acknowledged Xi’s “questions and concerns” about the war.

The UEFA Euro 2024 trophy is pictured in Berlin in 2021.

UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, confirmed on Tuesday that Russia would not be included in the draw for Euro 2024 men’s qualifying after a meeting of their executive committee.

 A UEFA press release said, “all Russian teams are currently suspended following the decision of the UEFA Executive Committee of 28 February 2022 which has further been confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 15 July 2022.

The executive committee met in Hvar, Croatia, to approve the procedure for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying draw.

The draw takes place on Oct. 9 in Frankfurt and will include 53 national associations.

Euro 2024 is set to take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14, 2024.

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak attends a joint briefing in Kyiv on September 13.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has responded to the sudden announcements of referendums on joining Russia in occupied parts of Ukraine.

“Naive blackmail with threats and horror stories of ‘referendums’, ‘mobilizations’ from those who know how to fight only with children and peaceful people … This is what the fear of defeat looks like. The enemy is afraid, primitively manipulates,” said Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on his Telegram channel.

An adviser to the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Mykhailo Podolyak, said Russians decided to “respond asymmetrically” to the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

“Thinking that illegal ‘referendum’ will stop HIMARS and the Armed Forces from destroying occupiers on our land. Do you really want to spend the time needed to escape for a new show? Try…It will be interesting…,” he tweeted on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also dismissed the announcements in a tweet, calling the referendums a “sham.”

In addition, Ukraine’s foreign ministry also said, “such fake plebiscites” will have “no legal consequences.”

The vote will not change the “administrative-territorial structure and internationally recognized borders of Ukraine,” it said in a statement, adding that “neither Ukraine nor the international community will recognize their worthless results.”

The ministry called the vote “forced citizenship” of residents and said it is “another attempt of Russia to legitimize the consequences of its aggressive war against Ukraine.”

Remember: Multiple Kremlin-backed authorities in eastern and southern Ukraine announced referendums on joining Russia will be held this week. Senior Russian officials have welcomed the moves.