Russia has started early voting in the occupied regions of Ukraine while parliamentary elections in the country are set to take place from September 18 to 20. This voting is presented as a gauge of public sentiment regarding the war in Ukraine, which has now lasted five years. Mobile voting teams visit the homes of residents in rural areas, bringing ballot boxes and portable voting booths with them.
Voting Process and Military Oversight
Displayed images indicate that residents are voting outside their homes, while members of Russia's Central Election Commission, along with military personnel and police officers, oversee the process. In frontline areas like Donetsk, election officials travel among residents accompanied by police and military forces. However, recorded footage does not show the number of voters, and there are no official statistics on participation rates.
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International Reactions and Legal Status
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has warned residents of the occupied areas to refrain from participating in these elections. This agency has stated that organizing or promoting these elections could be considered a crime under Ukrainian law and may result in up to 10 years of imprisonment. However, the main question is what choices do people have when armed soldiers are present at their doorsteps?
Kyiv and Western governments consider the elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine to be illegal and describe them as a "sham election" aimed at legitimizing Moscow's control over these areas. Meanwhile, global reactions continue to this issue, and international analysts are examining the implications of this action on regional security and stability.
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