In a brief note, Russia’s official legal information portal noted this Friday that Putin had signed the decrees recognizing the independence of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The documents state that the Russian president made this decision by the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, acknowledging and confirming the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

The will of the two regions’ residents was also taken into account in the referendums.

The independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics was recognized by Russia in February this year.

According to Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin will sign accession treaties to Russia with four new territories, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, in the Kremlin on Friday.

The authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions decided to hold referendums on accession to Russia between September 23 and 27.

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