During the last day of the referendums held in the occupied Ukrainian territories, fighting continued. Moscow is expected to announce the results as early as September 27 and the State Duma will announce the annexation of the occupied regions by October 1st, according to the Institute for the Study of War-ISW.
Russian units continue to attack Ukrainian defenses in the Donetsk region, at the cost of many casualties. The Ukrainian army is trying to carry out an offensive in other sections along the 1000 kilometer front, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also pointed out that heavy fighting was taking place in the Donetsk region and said that the Russian advance would go down in military history as an example of the most cynical sacrifice of soldiers. According to Zelensky, the mobilization in Russia is an attempt to ensure a constant flow of cannon fodder for Russian commanders.
The authorities in Dagestan announced that they were suspending the mobilization after violent protests erupted in the republic of Dagestan in the Caucasus.