Russian-Installed Authorities Hold Controversial Regional Elections in Ukraine, Deepening Conflict with Kyiv
Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine are holding regional elections in disputed territories, solidifying Moscow's control despite opposition from Ukrainian officials and the international community.
Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine began holding regional elections on Thursday in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, regions that Russia claimed as its own last year. The goal is to cement Moscow's authority in what it refers to as its "new territories" despite the ongoing conflict. However, it's important to note that Russia does not fully control any of these four regions or Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Russia is holding regional elections in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine that it doesn't fully control
— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) August 31, 2023
The candidates are exclusively handpicked by the Kremlin and are a mixture of prominent pro-Russian figures and new local recruits
Combined, these territories make up almost a fifth of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials strongly oppose the elections, labeling them as illegal and a hindrance to any peace talks with Russia until all troops are withdrawn from Ukrainian territory. The elections are being held for those regions where Moscow's handpicked governors are seeking full terms of office. These governors, with the endorsement of Russian President Vladimir Putin, have joined the Kremlin's United Russia bloc in recent months and face minimal opposition in the polls. In Mariupol, a city in the Donetsk region that was taken by Russia in 2022 after a lengthy siege, electoral officials set up a temporary polling booth in a residential complex's courtyard.
A few residents came out to cast their ballots, presenting newly-distributed Russian passports to the officials while police officers stood by. Meanwhile, voting also commenced in the Zaporizhzhia region, where the Russian-installed governor Yevgeny Balitsky, who had previously held talks with Putin in August, claimed that the province would vote overwhelmingly pro-Kremlin. It is worth noting that last October, three-quarters of countries at the United Nations General Assembly condemned Russia's attempted illegal annexation of these four regions. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and these elections demonstrate the deep divide and dispute between Moscow and Kyiv, greatly complicating any prospects for peace talks.
