A new sign has been posted on the main billboard of an occupied town in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, just a few miles from the front line. The sign, in the colors of the Russian flag, urges residents to vote for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, not Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. This is part of the Russian presidential vote taking place in the occupied parts of Ukraine over the past three weeks.
In the occupied territories, the electoral process is meant to legitimize Russia’s rule and present the occupation as a fait accompli. The presence of armed soldiers overseeing the voting process adds to the atmosphere of coercion and intimidation.
Despite widespread condemnation of the elections as illegal and unfair, Mr. Putin is expected to secure his fifth term as president through this process. The election results in the occupied regions are likely to show overwhelming support for Mr. Putin, further solidifying Russian control over these territories.
The electoral process, while flawed and manipulated, allows Russia to portray itself as a defender of democracy and to contrast itself with Ukraine, which suspended its presidential voting due to the ongoing war. The elections also serve to identify dissenters and reinforce Russian control over the occupied regions.
Overall, the elections in the occupied territories are seen as a way for Russia to maintain its claim over these regions and to continue its campaign of repression against pro-Ukrainian residents. The electoral process, despite its flaws, is a crucial tool for Russia in its efforts to solidify its control over the occupied territories.
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