Zelenskiy denounces Russian-staged votes; says there will be good news from the front

(Reuters) - President Volodynyr Zelenskiy issued a fresh denunciation on Tuesday of Russian-staged votes in occupied parts of Ukraine approving proposals to become part of Russia, saying they were a "farce" and could never be described as legitimate referendums.

"This farce in the occupied territories cannot even be called an imitation of a referendum," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine would defend its people still living under occupation in the four areas where votes were held - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions -- and in parts of Kharkiv region still under occupation.

The president also said there would soon be good news from the front, but offered no details for the moment. "We are advancing and will liberate our land," he said.

(Reporting by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Leslie Adler)