Western powers deride Vladimir Putin's lurch toward 'sham' referendums

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected orchestration of referendums to incorporate occupied territories of Ukraine into Russia “is a sign of weakness,” according to U.S. and European powers.

“We’ve seen reports that Russia is now considering proceeding with the sham referendum in Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday afternoon on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. “At the same time, we’re seeing reports that President Putin is contemplating mobilizing more of Russia’s reserves, throwing more young Russians into his desperate quest to seize another country. … It’s a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of Russian failure.”