He emphasized that in this way Putin is escalating the confrontation and the world community should react accordingly. 

Stoltenberg wrote about this on Twitter

"Fictive referendums have no legitimacy and do not change the nature of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This is a further escalation of Putin's war.

The international community must condemn this flagrant violation of international law and strengthen its support for Ukraine," Stoltenberg wrote. 

Sham referendums have no legitimacy & do not change the nature of #Russia's war of aggression against #Ukraine.

This is a further escalation in Putin's war.

The international community must condemn this blatant violation of international law & step up support for Ukraine.

pic.twitter.com/NdcN3tO6Sy

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) September 20, 2022

We will remind,

Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that the world community should react immediately and harshly to Russia's attempt to annex the territory of Ukraine.

Read also:

• "They will get Hitler's result": the Ministry of Defense reacted to the pseudo-referendums of the occupiers

• "February 21 scenario": Putin has declared war on the Russians, maybe his entourage wants to get rid of him

• "Referendums" and mobilization in the Russian Federation will have no consequences: Arestovych provided a forecast regarding the duration of the war