Topline
Russian-installed authorities in occupied regions of Ukraine began conducting referendums to annex the areas into Russian territory Friday in a vote that has faced widespread international condemnation dismissing the process as a sham with very little legal standing.
A volunteer of Luhansk regional election commission, right, distributes ribbons in colors of Russian ... [+]
Key Facts
The voting is being carried out in Ukraine’s Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk provinces—the latter two being only partially under Russian control.
The referendum ballots carry only one question in both Russian and Ukrainian languages asking “Do you wish to secede from Ukraine and create an independent state that will enter the Russian Federation?” according to a New York Times translation.
The entire process will take five days, with officials going door-to-door with ballots for the first four days while polling stations will be set up only on Tuesday.
Ukrainian and Western officials have warned the results of the referendum are expected to be heavily rigged in favor of the regions joining Russia.
On Telegram, the exiled Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Gaidai, alleged some of the voting was being carried out under gunpoint or under the threat of job loss and arrest.
The referendum in Ukraine takes place two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed official support for it and also ordered the conscription of army reservists in an effort to dramatically escalate the war.
Chief Critic
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the G7 group of nations condemned the “sham referenda” stating: “Any referenda held under conditions of Russian military presence, intimidation, and forced deportation cannot be free or fair. Any annexation of Ukrainian territory would be a gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and the UN Charter…The G7 will also pursue further targeted sanctions and are committed to sustained economic and political pressure on Russia.”
Crucial Quote
In a Facebook video delivered in Russian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Russian people, telling them that 55,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict so far with tens of thousands wounded. He urges them to: “Protest, Fight back, run away or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are options for you to survive.” Zelensky added: “Due to mobilization, Russia's war against Ukraine for the majority of Russian citizens is not something on TV or on the Internet, but something that has entered every Russian home.”
What To Watch For
While announcing support for the referendum in Ukraine, Putin implied he was prepared to use nuclear weapons in case the “territorial integrity” of Russia was threatened, adding “it’s not a bluff.” This has raised concerns that Russia could use the referendums to justify its annexation of Ukrainian territory and would then threaten severe retaliation against Kyiv—including the use of nuclear weapons—if it attempts to recapture the lost territory. Putin’s mobilization orders mean Russian authorities in the annexed territories could also forcibly conscript Ukrainians in the region into its own military.
