Russia has established two constituencies in occupied Luhansk region for State Duma elections
Russia is holding State Duma elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine for the first time. To this end, the occupying forces have established 11 single-member constituencies, two of which are in the occupied part of the Luhansk region. Voting will continue up to and including 20 September.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Luhansk Regional Military Administration.
Information about the polling stations was withheld
Russia’s "Central Election Commission" has restricted access to information about polling stations and the composition of election commissions in the occupied territories.
At the same time, the occupying authorities were permitted to implement special voting procedures. Specifically, these include early voting, reduced polling station opening hours and the option to vote outside the polling stations.
Votes can be collected at home, in the areas surrounding residential buildings and in other locations. In the Russian Federation, such measures are justified on security grounds.
The previous ‘elections’ were held under pressure
The Luhansk Regional Military Administration pointed out that Russia’s previous illegal election campaigns in the occupied Ukrainian territories were accompanied by pressure on the population.
People were forced to take part in the vote, whilst representatives of the occupying administrations, accompanied by armed men, went from house to house. Residents who refused to vote were persecuted.
The Ukrainian Central Election Commission emphasises that Russia’s holding of elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine constitutes yet another violation of international law.
