As Russia invades parts of Ukraine, leaders have forced civilians to live under Russian rule. Fraudulent elections are formalizing Vladimir V. Putin as the leader of these territories.
Ukrainians that live in Russian-occupied territories have been given Russian passports, cell phone numbers, and set-top boxes for watching Russian television. Passports are required for registering a motor vehicle or owning a business. Newborns and orphans are automatically classified as Russian citizens. Their currency has been changed to the Ruble, and the internet has been rerouted to Russian servers.
Those who don’t assimilate get arrested. Billboards around the territories encourage Ukrainians to adopt Russian ways. “We are one people,” blue-white-and-red billboards say. “We are with Russia.”
Some Ukrainians have given into the Russian propaganda. Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of the city of Kherson since 2020, had an interview last month. He reported that “5 to 10 percent of his constituents had changed their mind because of the propaganda.”
Local leaders have been appointed to each village and city. Starting in September, they will vote on whether they want to become a part of Russia. The authorities have already started printing the ballots. Pro-Russia advocates hired by the government begancampaigning for the benefits of merging.
According to Ukrainian and Western authorities, “Any referendum would be totally illegitimate,” however “it would carry ominous consequences.”
Officials suspectMr. Putin will officially declare conquered areas as Russia’s and have nuclear weapons as a defense. Thus, Kyiv cannot take back the land without spending a lot of money.
This action has also put Kyiv under military pressure. It forces Kyiv to counterattack before the Western weapons arrive, a risky move.
The speaker of the Russian-imposed Crimean Parliament commented in a phone interview this week: “Carrying out a referendum is not hard at all,” and added, “They will ask: ‘Take us under your guardianship, under your development, under your security.’”
As elections draw nearer, Ukrainians under Russian rule must make an important decision: assimilate or fight.
Ukrainians that live in Russian-occupied territories have been given Russian passports, cell phone numbers, and set-top boxes for watching Russian television. Passports are required for registering a motor vehicle or owning a business. Newborns and orphans are automatically classified as Russian citizens. Their currency has been changed to the Ruble, and the internet has been rerouted to Russian servers.
Those who don’t assimilate get arrested. Billboards around the territories encourage Ukrainians to adopt Russian ways. “We are one people,” blue-white-and-red billboards say. “We are with Russia.”
Some Ukrainians have given into the Russian propaganda. Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of the city of Kherson since 2020, had an interview last month. He reported that “5 to 10 percent of his constituents had changed their mind because of the propaganda.”
Local leaders have been appointed to each village and city. Starting in September, they will vote on whether they want to become a part of Russia. The authorities have already started printing the ballots. Pro-Russia advocates hired by the government begancampaigning for the benefits of merging.
According to Ukrainian and Western authorities, “Any referendum would be totally illegitimate,” however “it would carry ominous consequences.”
Officials suspectMr. Putin will officially declare conquered areas as Russia’s and have nuclear weapons as a defense. Thus, Kyiv cannot take back the land without spending a lot of money.
This action has also put Kyiv under military pressure. It forces Kyiv to counterattack before the Western weapons arrive, a risky move.
The speaker of the Russian-imposed Crimean Parliament commented in a phone interview this week: “Carrying out a referendum is not hard at all,” and added, “They will ask: ‘Take us under your guardianship, under your development, under your security.’”
As elections draw nearer, Ukrainians under Russian rule must make an important decision: assimilate or fight.
