Russia is preparing fake elections for TOT: SBU appealed to Ukrainians

Russia plans to hold fake elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine from September 18 to 20. The SBU has urged local residents not to participate in the vote.

According to the special services, the Russians again want to involve local residents in holding the “elections.” This includes working in the so-called “election commissions” and campaigning.

The SBU noted that Russia uses such votes to show alleged support for the occupation authorities in the occupied territories.

This was also the case during the pseudo-referendums in September 2022 in the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions. Then, local residents were involved in “election committees” and campaigning.

In 2023, Russia held so-called regional elections in the occupied territories. Local people were also involved in their organization.

The SBU reminded that organizing illegal elections and referendums in the occupied territories is punishable by criminal liability. The punishment can be up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

TOT residents were urged not to help the occupiers conduct the vote and to report to the SBU those involved in its organization.

It was previously reported that Russians in the occupied Donetsk region have begun early “voting” in the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. So-called election commissions accompanied by security forces are visiting local residents.

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