From March 15 to March 17, 2024, Vladimir Putin will be elected President of Russia in Russia and Ukraine. Yes, this is not a mistake, specifically in Ukraine, but it is precisely this fact that makes the entire election process illegal, illegitimate and harmful to health and the future. Why so – explains 24 Channel.
Read more about this here What will happen after Putin’s “victory” and what to expect from the elections in Russia
Why is Russia holding elections for Putin in Ukraine?
Because in 2014, the aggressor country captured Crimea and part of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, and in 2022 it expanded the occupation zone in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, and also captured part of the Kharkov, Zaporozhye, Kherson and Nikolaev regions.
Since March 18, 2014, Russia has considered Crimea its own territory, and since September 2022, the Kremlin has also announced the illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye, Kherson and Nikolaev regions. Moreover, within complete borders, but at the same time Russia itself did not control them, and after the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkov region and the evacuation of the invaders from Kherson, the control zone also decreased significantly.
Now Russia occupies only the island part of the Nikolaev region, the left bank of the Kherson region and a small part of the Kharkov region, despite loud promises the occupiers have not reached the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.
Interestingthe first “elections” in the occupied territories of continental Ukraine in the fall of 2022 coincided with the defeats of the Russians in the Kharkov region and southern Ukraine.
Also, Russia then suffered not only a military, but also a political defeat – the world did not recognize the “elections” and, following Ukraine, declared their results legally void.
Despite this unpleasant fact for the occupiers, they still hold “elections” in the temporarily occupied territories and pursue several goals:
- to show that Russia has gained a foothold here and is declaring a new “normality” and a celebration of “democracy”;
- discredit Ukraine;
- try to confirm their rights to the occupied territories in the eyes of both local residents (because even a vote for Davankov is a vote for Russia and the occupiers) and the world community and legitimize the occupation;
- identify dissenters, suppress resistance and report on “successes” in “new territories”;
- “draw” a large turnout and provide Putin with “Chechen” support indicators;
- mobilize “new Russian citizens” into the army.
Also, “elections,” in addition to propaganda and “show-off” (as the Russian “establishment” likes to say), pursue several optional goals:
- cutting money – Moscow allocates considerable funds for this performance;
- real population census;
- legitimization of local separatists as the new political elite of Russia.
Do “elections” have any power?
No. Martial law has now been declared in Ukraine, during which elections cannot be held. This is prohibited by law. Russia has no right to hold elections on the territory of another state.
Any results of the “elections” cannot be recognized, and the participants and organizers of this action are subject to the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
- In addition, the organizers of the “elections” are regarded by the Ukrainian intelligence services as legitimate targets (their lists and personal data are already at the disposal of the intelligence services and the local resistance and underground movements).
- Just like the so-called “polling stations”, armed “election patrols” with their door-to-door and door-to-door surveys, as well as cells of “parties” and fringe groups who agreed to play the role of “observers”.
It is known how traitors are dealt with in wartime.
Interesting The real opposition to Putin: what is known about the RDK, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion
In addition, there is a high probability that not only representatives of organized resistance forces or partisans can eliminate the organizer of the “elections” or the “observer”. The occupiers themselves can do this, for example, just for a good TV picture.
Explosions at the “sites” can be presented by Russian propaganda as terrorist attacks by the “Kyiv regime.”
A cynical video of the “elections” that the occupiers planned even in Avdiivka, which they destroyed:
What is the legal assessment of “elections”?
Forcing Ukrainians to participate in “voting” under the threat of repression and deportation is a direct violation of human rights and a violation of the rules of war.
Therefore, these “elections” absolutely violate both the laws of Ukraine and international law.
Important! The Verkhovna Rada and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of course, addressed the governments and parliaments of foreign countries, international organizations, and parliamentary assemblies. And they called on not to send international observers to participate in yet another farce that the Kremlin is passing off as presidential elections.
What is also important, Ukraine called on the international media and prominent public figures not to in any way help the Kremlin in creating the illusion of the electoral process and not to call this farce “elections”, using the terminology inherent in democratic states.
NATO, the EU and the entire civilized world also have an absolutely clear position on this matter.
President Putin has held power in Russia for decades. No one expects this week’s Russian elections to bring any changes to the Kremlin. One of the reasons is the murder and expulsion of opposition politicians. And, of course, Russia’s attempts to organize any elections in the occupied territories of the regions of Ukraine are completely illegal and violate international law,
– stressed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
What should Ukrainians do in the occupied territories?
The very first task is to do your best, if possible, to ignore the “elections” and remember the possible responsibility for participating in them.
In addition, participation in voting is a direct path to joining the occupying forces, because the Russians force to vote not only those who received a Russian passport, but also those who refused. In this case, it is believed that the documents were allegedly lost due to hostilities, so the fact of a fake “expression of will” will be equated to an agreement to “fit in with the Russians,” which means being ready to die for Putin, Sechin’s yacht or a plane for Shuvalov’s corgi.
At the same time, Ukrainian legislation does not provide for criminal or any other liability only for the fact of participation, including forced participation, in the so-called “elections” that Russia is preparing.
- According to the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinetsresponsibility in accordance with the Criminal Code of Ukraine, only those persons who are directly involved in organizing and conducting illegal elections will be punished.
- They, according to Lubinets, can be judged under the article on collaboration activities.
He added that the life and health of citizens still remains the highest value for the state.
We should not forget that Russian politics are cruel and totalitarian. It is worth considering the fact that “voting” is carried out at gunpoint, and participation in such “elections” is a matter of survival on HERE,
– Lubinets emphasized.
Note! Russia is counting on about 6 million votes in the “new territories.” These are significantly overestimated data that do not reflect the real state of affairs.
Thus, Russia not only holds “elections” illegally in a foreign country, it also wants to hedge its bets and paint Putin as 80%.
The so-called Russian “elections” in the temporarily occupied territories began at the end of February – then the so-called “visiting commissions” began to operate. They consist of collaborators and armed occupiers who conduct raids on houses and yards. They force Ukrainians to “vote”.
- In occupied Luhansk, for example, 2,600 officials were brought in to visit homes and persuade residents to vote. Heads of educational and other government institutions have also been ordered to ensure the turnout of their subordinates in the elections.
- UK Ministry of Defense citing intelligence data, reported that the occupation authorities in the occupied territories of Ukraine, regardless of the results of the illegal elections, will announce a high voter turnout with the predominant support of Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to create the illusion of a “democratic choice.”
Of course, the Ukrainian special services and partisans are shooting at such rogues, but not everyone has enough strength and resources. However, this does not mean that they will all escape punishment.
As the story of Putin’s “plebiscites” of 2014 shows, all organizers and participants in fake “elections” and “referendums” will be recorded, identified and, to the best of their ability, punished.
2024-03-15 05:00:00
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