Russian military officials are ramping up their get-out-the-vote effort in occupied Ukraine even before the presidential election begins Friday. At least 2,600 people in Luhansk, a city in the disputed Donbas region, have been drafted to visit homes and persuade residents to vote, British officials said Wednesday.
Local government and education officials in the Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine have been told to ensure their subordinates show up at the polling places, British military officials said on X in their latest assessment of battlefield conditions.
“With no independent election observers, and voter lists in at least one town absent, the potential for falsification of results is increased,” British officials said.
The Brits say Russia has no legitimate basis to hold elections in occupied Ukraine, and its credibility is further undermined by a lack of representation, poor security and coercive measures to pressure the population to vote. Only a third of the prewar population likely remains in the Russian-controlled region as a result of migration and significant displacement of residents because of the war, officials said.
“It is highly likely the occupation authorities in these territories will claim a high turnout with overwhelming support for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin irrespective of what happens, to give the impression that a democratic choice has been made,” British officials said.