What happened today proves that the objectives of the military operation against Ukraine were not to protect the Russian borders from NATO's military expansion. Today began the process of local referendum in four Ukrainian regions to vote on joining Russia. Non-governmental organizations assert that the referendum is sham and that these provinces were actually annexed to Russia by its military surrender to Russian forces.

With the increase in the number of Russian soldiers in the war after the call-up of the reserve forces today, other regions will be the target of Russian expansion.