US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the results of the referendums on the accession of occupied regions in southern and eastern Ukraine to Russia "do not reflect the will of the people of Ukraine."
"The United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referenda or Russia's purported annexation of Ukrainian territory," Blinken said in a statement, stressing that the "spectacle" conducted by Russia "is illegitimate and violates international law."
"Russia has forced much of the population in areas it seized to flee and compelled Ukraine's citizens that remained to cast ballots at gunpoint, in fear for their safety, and the safety of their loved ones," he said.
The referendums held by Russian forces in Ukraine are not recognized worldwide. However, the Kremlin announced four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine will be annexed by Russia on Friday.
