In areas of Ukraine now conquered by Russia, the local leaders are compelling civilians to bear Russian rule and adopt a Russian lifestyle.
Local authorities have passed out Russian passports, cell phone numbers, and set-top boxes for watching Russian television for the residents. The Ukrainian currency has also been substituted with the ruble, the Russian currency. Even the internet has been rerouted through Russian servers to track its usage of it.
Hundreds got arrested for refusing to follow the Russian lifestyle.
In many ways, the occupying authorities on territory held by Moscow’s forces are utilizing dread and indoctrination to coerce Ukrainians to adopt the Russian lifestyle.
Now comes the next act in President Vladimir Putin’s 21st-century version of the “war of conquest”: the referendum, votes from the people.
Leaders chosen by Russians in local towns, villages, and cities in the south of Ukraine are preparing the stage for a vote that would boost Ukraine’s desire to become part of Russia.
They are compelling pro-Russia locals for new “election commissions” and advertising to Ukrainian civilians the common advantages of joining their country; they are even reportedly printing the votes already.
Ukrainian and Western officials have been clear that any referendum would be unlawful. And if a referendum comes through, it would carry serious consequences.
Critics in both Moscow and Ukraine predict that it would serve as a “warm-up” to Putin’s official proclamation of the conquered area to be Russian territory, defended by Russian nuclear weapons to make future attempts by Kyiv to drive out Russian forces potentially much more costly.
Parts of Ukraine annexed by Russia would also symbolize Europe’s biggest territorial expansion by force since World War II. It would eventually affect an area several times larger than Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Putin took over in 2014.
Local authorities have passed out Russian passports, cell phone numbers, and set-top boxes for watching Russian television for the residents. The Ukrainian currency has also been substituted with the ruble, the Russian currency. Even the internet has been rerouted through Russian servers to track its usage of it.
Hundreds got arrested for refusing to follow the Russian lifestyle.
In many ways, the occupying authorities on territory held by Moscow’s forces are utilizing dread and indoctrination to coerce Ukrainians to adopt the Russian lifestyle.
Now comes the next act in President Vladimir Putin’s 21st-century version of the “war of conquest”: the referendum, votes from the people.
Leaders chosen by Russians in local towns, villages, and cities in the south of Ukraine are preparing the stage for a vote that would boost Ukraine’s desire to become part of Russia.
They are compelling pro-Russia locals for new “election commissions” and advertising to Ukrainian civilians the common advantages of joining their country; they are even reportedly printing the votes already.
Ukrainian and Western officials have been clear that any referendum would be unlawful. And if a referendum comes through, it would carry serious consequences.
Critics in both Moscow and Ukraine predict that it would serve as a “warm-up” to Putin’s official proclamation of the conquered area to be Russian territory, defended by Russian nuclear weapons to make future attempts by Kyiv to drive out Russian forces potentially much more costly.
Parts of Ukraine annexed by Russia would also symbolize Europe’s biggest territorial expansion by force since World War II. It would eventually affect an area several times larger than Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Putin took over in 2014.