Not enough people left in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast to hold “referendum,” official says
Three quarters of the local population have left the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. (Photo:REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)
Three quarters of the local population have left the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, making it impossible to hold a sham “referendum” in the region, regional governor Oleksandr Starukh said in a Telegram post on Sept. 24.
Starukh said it’s “futile” to pretend the “vote” could have any legitimacy at all.
“It will be mathematically impossible to suggest that the majority voted; there are physically not enough people left there,” said Starukh.
He added that the “voting” is done door-to-door, at gunpoint, leaving no doubts how people would be compelled to vote.
“The result of this pseudo-referendum is perfectly clear – Russian propaganda will announce a fake number, to be used in further manipulations,” the governor said.
Russia announced that this so-called “referendum” will be held across occupied Ukrainian Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts on Sept. 23-27, in an attempt to legitimize its conquests in Ukraine. Russia exerts control only over parts of these regions, while the provincial capital of Zaporizhzhia Oblast remains in Ukrainian hands.
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