ISW: Kremlin and occupation officials will ‘falsify’ votes for Russian President Vladimir Putin and fabricate high turnout in an effort to legitimize Russia’s occupation of Ukraine to the International community.
The occupation authorities set up by Moscow on March 10 opened early voting in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine for the Russian presidential election, which will last until March 14.
The Kremlin news agency TASS reported on March 10 that early voting began in the occupied Donetsk region, but noted that early voting in areas close to the front line has been underway since the 25th. FEBRUARY.
The head of the military administration of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, Artem Lysohor, said that 2,600 officials of the election commission of the so-called ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’ conducted a door-to-door campaign during of the last 20 days.
According to the Russian Interior Ministry, approximately 2.8 million residents of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories now hold Russian passports. Russia makes access to services in these regions, including social services and health care, conditional on obtaining a Russian passport.
Those who refuse will become foreign citizens or stateless persons from July 1, 2024. There is a realistic possibility that individuals will be deported or detained after this date if they do not have a Russian passport, under this which the British Ministry of Defense calls “a policy of relentless Russification”.
Institute for the Study of War continues to believe that the Kremlin and Russian-installed occupation officials intend to falsify votes in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin and manufacture high turnout in order to to legitimize Russia’s occupation of Ukraine in the international community.
