Ukrainians have been compelled to vote under duress in Russian-staged referendums that are considered a means for Russia to conquer four occupied territories.
After voting began on Friday, journalist Maxim Eristavi, co-founder of the independent news organization Hromadske International, tweeted a video of troops in the halls of a block of apartments.
‘My family was just compelled to vote at gunpoint in Russian parody of a “referendum” in southern Ukraine,’ he tweeted amid international outcry over the current elections.
‘They come to your house – you have to openly tick the box for being annexed by Russia (or staying with Ukraine if you feel suicidal) – all while gunmen watch you.’
According to one lady in Melitopol, two local collaborators arrived at her parents’ house with troops to offer them voting papers to vote “yes” or “no” to joining Russia.
She said: ‘My dad put “no”. My mum stood nearby and asked what would happen for putting “no”. They said, “Nothing”.
‘Mum is now worried that the Russians will persecute them.’
There was one ballot per household rather than per person, the woman added.
Referendums are being placed in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, all of which are partially controlled by Russia, with voting ending tomorrow.
Kyiv has described the practice as an attempt to cling to seized territory threatened by Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
‘The world will react justly to the phoney referendums,’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday.
He called them “crimes against international law and Ukrainian law.”
Earlier on Friday, the G7 nations said that the elections would “never” be recognized and would have “no legal consequence or validity.”
According to Russian official media, 97% of residents in Donetsk and Luhansk wanted to change their nationality, and the armed guards who enforced the door-to-door polling were there for security.’
Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk, stated that certain seized towns had been completely blocked off to ensure people vote, with any crosses in the ‘no’ column being noted in a notebook.
According to Russian official media, 97% of residents in Donetsk and Luhansk want to change their nationality.
It went on to say that the armed guards who enforced the door-to-door voting were there for “security.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said annexed territories would have Moscow’s “full protection” if they were annexed.
The announcement that those districts are now part of Russia may allow President Vladimir Putin to argue that his nation is under assault if Ukraine attempts to reclaim them.
Analysts believe this would enable him to justify an escalation of the conflict or perhaps the use of ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons – as well as his call-up of 300,000 reservists.
The US has warned Russia that going nuclear would have “catastrophic” repercussions.
Over 2,000 Russians have been arrested in rallies over the mass call-up, which has prompted a rush to leave abroad, while a gunman opened fire at a conscription site in Siberia this morning.
US President Joe Biden has stated that his country would not recognize the sham election.
In reaction to Putin’s latest steps, the US and European Union officials said more penalties are in the works.
‘Russia, its political leadership, and all those involved in organizing these “referenda” as well as in other violations of international law and international humanitarian law in Ukraine will be held accountable,’ EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pledged recently.
Putin’s tactics have even enraged China, a staunch ally.
Its Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, reminded his Ukrainian colleague, Dmytro Kuleba, at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that “all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity must be maintained.”
Ukrainian military claims to be retaking territory from Moscow-backed rebels in regions where Russia wishes to integrate.
Authorities are going door-to-door to collect votes before polls open tomorrow for locals to vote on the last day.
Leonid, a 59-year-old military official in Donetsk, said he was ‘feeling good.’
‘Ultimately, things are moving towards restoring the Soviet Union, he said.
‘The referendum is one step towards this.’
The referendum is similar to the one conducted after Russia took Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014.
