Russian annexation referendums begin in four Ukrainian provinces

Russia launched referendums to annex new territories of Ukraine.

In the early hours of the morning, the consultations launched by the pro-Russian separatists began in the provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, in the east of the invaded country; as well as in Kherson and Zaporizhia, in the south.

Voting began in the early hours of the morning of this Friday, September 23, and will continue until next Tuesday, September 27.

Ballot boxes have also been opened in Russia, where refugees from the occupied regions can cast their votes.

The Kremlin indicated in the last hours that the decision of the consultations will be implemented “quickly”. A result predictably in favor of Moscow, in the midst of a forced vote and coercion of the inhabitants of those territories, indicates kyiv.

A similar measure took place in 2014, when the administration of President Vladimir Putin was awarded the province of Crimea, in southern Ukraine.

The Russian legislature is preparing to conclude the annexation process. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, the State Duma, addressed the occupied regions in a statement in which he stressed: “If you decide to become part of the Russian Federation, we will support you.”

kyiv denounces coercion in annexation referendums

Lugansk Mayor Sergey Haidai charged that Russian forces were forcing residents to vote and prohibiting them from leaving the area during referendum days.

“According to the information available, the occupants are creating armed groups to go through the houses and force people to participate in the so-called referendum,” he said.

The official even added that in some companies “those who do not participate in the vote will be automatically fired.”

Meanwhile, the secretary of the Zaporizhia City Council, Anatoly Kurtev, said that the pro-Russians are trying to dissuade residents from cooperating in favor of Moscow.

“Local residents are promised cash rewards and household appliances for providing passport data and obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation,” he explained.

The places where voting takes place represent 15% of the Ukrainian territory.

In the case of Kherson, the invading troops control about 95%. In Zaporizhia, kyiv still controls much of the region, so it is not clear how a possible annexation to Russia would be applied in those areas.

Last February, days before ordering the conflict, the Russian government supported the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk, but now it hopes to make them part of its country.

kyiv emphasizes the illegality of the referendums in the invaded territories. “Today, there is no legal action called a ‘referendum’ in the occupied territories. There is only one propaganda show for the conscription. The territory of Ukraine needs immediate liberation,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the office of the Ukrainian President.

For his part, Denis Pushilin, separatist leader of the Moscow-backed authorities in the Donetsk region, called the consultations “a historic milestone”.

The vote, which asks residents whether they want their regions to be part of Russian territory, is sure to go Moscow’s way. That would give the Kremlin a way to claim that the Ukrainian forces’ attempts to regain control of those towns and cities are attacks against Russia, which would dramatically escalate the war.

The “partial mobilization” of Russian reservists advances

As the votes unfold in the occupied regions, Russian social networks show dramatic scenes of families crying goodbye to the men leaving the military mobilization centers.

In cities across the vast country, many hugged relatives and expressed their sadness before leaving. The transfers begin as part of the measures announced by Putin on September 21.

Russian anti-war activists prepare more protests against the transfer of recruits.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned “fake referendums” and referred to Russian recruitment. He switched from speaking Ukrainian to Russian to speak directly to the citizens of his neighboring country, who he said are being “thrown to death.”

“You are already complicit in all these crimes, murders and torture of Ukrainians (…) Because you were silent. Because they are silent. And now is the time for you to choose. For men in Russia, this is a choice between living or dying, becoming crippled or staying healthy. For women in Russia, the choice is to lose their husbands, children and grandchildren forever or still try to protect them from death, from war, from a single person.

The evaluations of the Ukrainian and Western authorities indicate that behind this measure there is a desperate attempt by Putin to end the occupation of Ukrainian areas, amid the advances of the local Army that in recent weeks has recovered various populations, mainly after retaking control of the northeastern province of Kharkiv.

UN points to “signs of war crimes in Ukraine”

A team of experts commissioned by the highest UN human rights body reported on September 23 that “war crimes” have been committed in Ukraine, citing evidence of bombings in civilian areas, executions, torture and sexual violence, after the invasion ordered by the Kremlin. almost seven months ago.

Envoys have so far focused on four regions: kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy.

In presenting their findings, they cited testimonies from former detainees of beatings, electric shocks and forced nudity in Russian detention centers and expressed serious concern about executions in the four regions assessed.

“We were struck by the large number of executions in the areas we visited. The commission is currently investigating these types of deaths in 16 towns and settlements,” said Erik Mose, chairman of the commission, without specifying who or which party to the war allegedly carried out the killings.

Survivors and other human rights organizations that have traveled to the affected places point to the responsibility of the invading troops in the crimes.

Moscow continues to deny any involvement of its troops.

With Reuters, AP and local media