Comments by "chaosXpert" (@chaosXP3RT) on "Kremlin announces potentially escalatory steps for the war in Ukraine" video.

  1. The concern with the referendum's in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson oblasts is that Ukraine doesn't control the majority or even half of the oblasts, meaning that Russia can claim that "it doesn't need all the citizens of the oblasts to vote in order to decide on annexation or not." The other issue is that of course, like in Crimea, the referendum's will most likely not include an option to remain part of Ukraine. In Crimea, the only options on the ballot were "Crimea becomes independent" or "Crimea is annexed by Russia". And, once all 3 oblasts "vote" to join Russia, Putin can go to the Russian Duma and say "Look! Ukraine is threatening sovereign Russian land and Russian people! This is now war! We must mobilize and call up all Russian conscripts to fight the war with Ukraine!" The referendums are an excuse for Putin to save face and maybe, even use nukes in Ukraine.
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