Head of the Kherson Region: occupiers preparing illegal "referendum" for first days of May

OLENA ROSHCHINA  — WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL 2022, 15:08

The head of the Kherson regional military administration, Hennadii Lahuta, has information that the Russian occupiers are preparing a pseudo-referendum in the region in early May.

Source: Hennadii Lahuta, in an interview for the project "Novyny Pryazovia" ["Azov News"] of

Radio Svoboda [Radio Liberty] 

Quote: "Unfortunately, there have been rumours that the occupiers are preparing something for the first days of May: whether it is a "referendum" or what to call it…

I can only comment on it like this: the whole Kherson region is waiting to be liberated, it is Ukrainian. It wants to live in a united, peaceful, glorious, united Ukraine. And to live peacefully - as we used to live and develop [our region]. And, believe me, having worked for less than four months in my position: we had so many plans, so many ideas, so much development in hand… But we will fulfil these plans.

Therefore, I will end the comment (about) the so-called "referendum": no matter what they call it, whatever they do, it will be a falsification and absolutely illegal."

Details: Regarding the attempt of the occupiers to appoint the "head" of the Kherson region, Lahuta said that "they do not have a candidate, because no resident of the Kherson region is willing to be one."

"There was information that they might bring in (a pro-Russian protégé - ed.) from occupied Crimea. There was information that they had a candidate, an absolutely crazy one. So what I know for sure: they would have appointed someone a long time ago but there are simply no candidates," he added.

Lahuta said that immediately after the occupation, when there was a threat that the regional administration building would be seized, his team moved because it would be impossible to work in the Kherson Regional State Administration. But he is fully informed, he knows about the humanitarian crisis and the crimes of the Russian Federation.

"Speaking about crimes, I know a lot of information about what is happening in our settlements - in, say, Vysokopillia… So far, this information has been coming from people who are arriving in Kryvyi Rih from there. We will be checking and evaluating this when we liberate Vysokopillia", Lahuta said.

He clarified that "it is about the cruel treatment, the beating, abduction and rape of women and girls - this is what people are telling us, and it requires further consideration (by law enforcement agencies - ed.) And the punishment of all perpetrators."

Head of the Military Administration Lahuta said that some settlements in the Kherson region near the Dnipropetrovsk region have been liberated. They are restoring electricity and water supplies. The police of Ukraine are on duty and pensions and other budget payments will be received this week.

Lahuta said that the State Treasury has been transferred to the Kirovohrad region and is making all payments. People can get money even in the occupied territories.

"We have several villages - Novovorontsovske, Vysokopilske and Kochubeivske that have been liberated in the Kherson region," he said.

The head of the Kherson Military Administration confirmed that educators in the occupied territories are being required to start the educational process in Russian, "according to their (Russian Federation) textbooks and according to their curriculum", but he said that teachers are still teaching children remotely according to the Ukrainian curriculum.

Background: On 19 April, Ukrainian intelligence reported that the Russian occupiers were preparing pseudo-referendums in the occupied areas of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions to declare them so-called "people's republics" and annexe them to Russia.