Preparation for so-called referendums in occupied territories almost over – Chief Intelligence Directorate

IRYNA BALACHUK – SATURDAY, 27 AUGUST 2022, 11:39

The Russian occupiers have almost completed preparations for the so-called referendums in the temporarily occupied territories; election headquarters have already been created, and the lists of candidates are composed.

Source: Vadym Skibitskyi, representative of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, in an interview with RBK-Ukraine

Quote: "The military intelligence of Ukraine is closely tracking all processes happening there. As of today, we can say with confidence that corresponding election headquarters, operational staffs, electoral committees have been created, and lists of candidates composed. So all the processes linked to the preparation for the "referendum" are almost finished".

Details: Skibitskyi states that the so-called referendums may be held in different territories: in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, or in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts.

The dates may also vary. One of the possible dates may be 11 September, an all-Russian election day.

Skibitskyi added that Russian politicians, government officials and volunteers responsible for organising the voting process keep coming to the occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. However, the further events will depend on the situation on the battlefield and the occupiers’ capability to break the resistance movement in the occupied territories.

In occupied Melitopol and Berdiansk, the process of passportisation is underway. Russian passports are being issued even to children above 14.

At the moment, the agenda of the so-called referendums is unknown. There’s a chance that the so-called people’s republics will be created in the occupied oblasts, or the occupied territories will be illegally merged with Russia right away.

The Chief Intelligence Directorate supposes that it will be determined at the final stage of the preparation for the so-called vote.

Skibitskyi remarked that a gradual political, economic and cultural integration of the occupied territories of Ukraine is ongoing. In particular, the occupiers are getting ready to start the school year with the Russian education programme – textbooks are being brought in; teachers who agreed to cooperate with Russians are taking methodological training courses, etc.

The Chief Intelligence Directorate added that Russians are planning to conduct voting at the pseudo-referendums not only at the polling stations but also online. In general, the occupiers are "90% ready" for the so-called voting.

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