Ukrainians in Kremlin-backed territory vote whether to join Russia in ‘sham referenda’

Controversial referendums on whether Moscow-held regions of Ukraine should join Russia began on Friday, according to Russian-backed officials.

The referendums ask if certain Ukrainians want their regions to be part of Russia. The votes, which are expected to lean in favor of Russia, have been denounced by Ukrainians and Westerners alike, who accuse it of being an illegal step towards annexation.

The referendums concern four occupied territories and will likely be used by the Kremlin to justify annexing the Ukrainian territories and thus escalate the Russo-Ukrainian War.

The votes are being held in the Luhansk, Kherson and partially Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

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In the first few days, residents will have ballots brought to them by election officials, who will also set up makeshift polling stations. The Russian-installed officials cited “safety reasons” for their voting processes.

Residents will be invited to vote at regular poll sites next Tuesday, which is the last day of the referendums.

If the votes go in Russia’s favor, it would provide the Kremlin pretext to say Ukrainian forces are attacking Russia directly by attempting to regain control of the disputed regions. 

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A military vehicle drives along a street with a billboard reading “With Russia forever, September 27” prior to a referendum in Luhansk, Luhansk People’s Republic controlled by Russia-backed separatists, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022.
(AP Photo)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referenced “sham referenda”…