Sham referenda, mobilization “signs of Russian failure” - U.S. ambassador

That’s according to U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who released the comment via Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

“Sham referenda and mobilization are signs of weakness, of Russian failure. The United States will never recognize Russia's claim to purportedly annexed Ukrainian territory, and we will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the ambassador tweeted.

Фальшиві референдуми та мобілізація є ознаками слабкості, провалу Росії. Сполучені Штати ніколи не визнають претензій Росії на нібито анексовану українську територію, і ми продовжуватимемо підтримувати Україну стільки, скільки буде потрібно.

— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) September 21, 2022

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Vyacheslav Volodin, the head of Russia’s legislature, the State Duma, spoke in favor of Russia accepting the temporarily captured territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. Russian mass media report that the occupying administrations decided to hold in the temporarily captured territories of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions "referenda on accession to Russia."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 21 signed a decree on partial mobilization in Russia.