Experts: Putin needs referendums to accuse the Armed Forces of Ukraine of "attacking Russia"

This is what experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say

The Kremlin's plans for annexation are aimed primarily at a domestic audience; Putin likely hopes to improve Russian troop formation capabilities by urging Russians to volunteer to go to war to "defend" Russia's newly claimed territories, experts said in a statement.

In addition, in this way, Putin likely wants to contain the counteroffensive of Ukraine. By presenting the liberation of the occupied territories by Ukraine as an "attack on Russia."

Military experts also believe that the referendums and further annexation are aimed at a domestic Russian audience. Thus, Putin wants the Russians to go to war voluntarily under the pretext of "defending" new Russian territories.