Putin marks anniversary of annexation of Ukrainian regions as drones attack overnight

On September 30, Vladimir Putin said residents of four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed by Russia had chosen to be with their "Fatherland." The West denounced the referendum votes and recent ballots as a sham. Russia's Defense Ministry said it would enlist 130,000 men for compulsory military service, including residents of annexed territories.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 30 insisted that the residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed a year ago “made their choice — to be with their Fatherland.”

In an address released in the early hours to mark the first anniversary of the annexation, Mr. Putin insisted that it was carried out “in full accordance with international norms.” He also claimed that residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions had again expressed their desire to be part of Russia in local elections earlier this month, in which Russia’s Central Election Commission said that the country’s ruling party won the most votes.

The West has denounced both the referendum votes carried out last year and the recent ballots as a sham. The votes were held as Russian authorities attempted to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully control.

A concert was held in Red Square on September 29 to mark the anniversary, but Mr. Putin did not participate.

The address came after Russia’s Defense Ministry said September 29 it would enlist 130,000 men for compulsory military service this fall, beginning Oct. 1 in most regions of the country. It announced it would for the first time begin enlisting residents of the annexed territories as part of its twice-yearly military conscription campaign.

Russia says conscripts are not deployed to what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, or to serve in the annexed territories. However, after their service, conscripts automatically become reservists, and Russia has previously deployed reservists to Ukraine.