According to local officials, voting in the March 15-17, 2024, russian presidential elections has started early across the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
Efforts by russian officials to get the population to vote are intensifying. In Luhansk, 2,600 officials have been drafted in to visit homes and persuade residents to vote. Heads of educational and other government establishments have been told to ensure their subordinates turn out to vote. With no independent election observers, and voter lists in at least one town absent, the potential for falsification of results is increased.
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With significant population displacement and migration from these areas due to the on-going war, it is likely that only approximately a third of the pre-war population remains.
Whilst russia has no legitimate basis to hold elections on the territory of Ukraine, the credibility of the elections is undermined further by a lack of proper representation, poor security and coercive measures to pressure the population to vote. It is highly likely the occupation authorities in these territories will claim a high turnout with overwhelming support for Putin irrespective of what actually happens, to give the impression that a democratic choice has been made.
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