The moves followed months of conflicting signals from Moscow and separatist officials about the referendums that reflected the shifts on the battlefield.
The Russian president raised the threat of a nuclear response in the Ukraine conflict and ordered reservists to mobilize, as Moscow seeks to buttress its army’s flagging manpower and regain the offensive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping looked to rally Asian leaders behind a new "international order" as they met Friday for a summit aimed at challenging Western influence.