Ukrainian rebel region may vote to join Russia, says report

Days before ordering Ukraine invasion, Vladimir Putin recognised the Ukrainian rebel regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, though the rest of the world considers them part of Ukraine

The Russian-backed eastern Ukrainian rebel region of Luhansk said on Sunday it may hold a referendum on joining Russia, drawing a warning from Kyiv that any such vote would have no legal basis and trigger a stronger international response. Three days before ordering the Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin recognised the Ukrainian rebel regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, though the rest of the world considers them part of Ukraine.

Ukraine, which says it is fighting for its existence against what it casts as an imperial-style land grab by Russia, has repeatedly said it will never agree to Russia's annexation of its territory. “I think that in the near future a referendum will be held on the territory of the republic,” Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, was quoted as saying by the region’s news outlet. “The people will exercise their ultimate constitutional right and express their opinion on joining the Russian Federation.”

As industry shuns Russia, SpaceX, rivals get a lift 

Russia’s Soyuz rocket (pictured) has carried people and payloads to space for decades, a workhorse that has amassed a record of reliability as the most launched in spaceflight history. Yet in the span of a few weeks, the Soyuz’s prospects have been severely diminished. The nation’s moves to rework commercial contracts, halt deliveries and effectively seize property from Western customers has shaken the industry’s faith in Russia and its signature rocket.

While the rocket had already been facing rising competition from new launch vehicles, the latest moves accelerate the shift away from Soyuz, opening the door for US and European firms such as SpaceX, Rocket Lab USA  and Arianespace. Potentially billions of dollars in contracts could be up for grabs to send commercial satellites into orbit or ferry cargo to the International Space Station.