Moscow: President Vladimir Putin has signed a law approving the merger of four Ukrainian territories with Russia. These areas are in eastern Ukraine, which was attacked and occupied by the Russian army. President Putin's move could provoke Western countries, including the US. Russia's decision is also against international rules. Earlier this week, both houses of the Russian parliament passed legislation merging Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Khersan and Zaporizhazia.  

After this, Vladimir Putin was to sign it. Now That Putin has given the green light to this law, Russia has also taken control of these areas. Earlier, Russia had also claimed to hold a referendum in these areas. Russia had said that 90 per cent of the people in the referendum have said to merge those areas with Russia. However, western countries, including the US, and Ukraine had opposed the referendum as fake and said that Russia had made a fake referendum.  

President Vladimir Putin has been describing Ukraine as part of the Soviet Union and has been describing the dissolution of the country as unfortunate. In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and occupied Crimea. Similarly, parts of eastern Ukraine have also been occupied by Russia.

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