Russia will consider Ukraine’s attempts to return Donbas and other occupied territories as an attack on the Russian Federation if the results of the referendums are positive, Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov said, citing CNN.

He said at a press conference on Friday that Ukrainian territories currently controlled by Russian forces and holding so-called referendums on joining Russia could join the Russian Federation “quite soon.”

Peskov also explained what Russia will do if there is a majority in favor of Russia’s accession.

• “Of course, certain decisions of the parliament and our president will be needed, as well as the signing of the necessary documents, that is, a whole set of procedures.
• The Constitution of the Russian Federation will immediately enter into force for these territories. Here, in this regard, everything is very clear.
• If there is an act of incorporation of these territories into the Russian Federation, then, accordingly, the corresponding provisions of our Constitution will work,” said Peskov.

When asked if this would mean that any attempt by Ukraine to return its territories would be seen as an attack on Russia, the Kremlin spokesman said: “Of course.”

Speaking about how long such a process could take, Peskov said: “I can’t say for sure, but in fact I am convinced that it will be quite soon.”

On Friday, “referendums” on joining the Russian Federation began in parts of Ukraine, fully or partially under the control of Moscow, Kyiv and the West, calling them a “pretext”.

Voting, which began in Ukraine at 8:00 a.m., will continue until September 27 in the pro-Russian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as in the occupied Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.