Russia will offer "full protection" to the Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine that vote in referendums to join Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference Saturday.
Why it matters: Decried by Ukrainian and Western officials as a "sham," the referendums are taking place from Friday through Tuesday in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and could lead to the annexation of nearly 15% of Ukraine.
