Moscow

Russia will hold a signing ceremony on Friday to incorporate the annexed four occupied regions of Ukraine at Kremlin, Moscow's President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"Tomorrow in the Georgian Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 [1200 GMT] a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He further added that Putin will make a speech at this event.

The announcement comes following Russia’s claim of referendums in the regions going in its favour on Tuesday.

The referendum by the Russian authorities on the annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine was largely seen as a "sham referendum" and has been widely criticised by various countries.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will never accept the results of "sham" referendums on joining Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Canada also said that they will not recognise Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.

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"Canada does not and will not ever recognise the results of these sham referendums or Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.