September 29, 2022

Moscow is preparing for the annexation of the four regions where the Kremlin recently staged the circus act they call “referenda.” The demonstration in support of the annexation is set for Sep 30, and the sessions of the Duma and the Federation Council are set for Oct 3 and 4, respectively. It looks like Putin will announce the signing of instruments of annexation on the 30th, and then send them to the Constitutional Court, which will approve them, and then to the other two bodies for ratification.

Insider channels report that some variants are still under consideration. The first, and most likely, is that all four will be annexed. The second is that Putin will welcome the “results” but delay the annexation for additional review. (I don’t believe this is in the cards at all.) The third is that they will annex Luhansk and delay the annexation…