Mock vote for Putin

Bomb explodes outside polling station in Ukraine

Flying election commissions are on the move in the occupied areas of Ukraine to ensure a high voter turnout. They are accompanied by soldiers.(Bild: APA/AFP/STRINGER)

In order to preserve the appearance of democracy, the Kremlin is also conducting illegal mock votes in the Russian-occupied territories for Putin's "election". A bomb exploded outside a polling station in southern Ukraine on Friday.

According to the local election authority, the detonation occurred outside a polling station in the Kherson region. "In Skadovsk, an improvised explosive device was placed in a garbage can in front of the polling station," the regional election commission, which is close to the Russian occupation, announced via the online service Telegram. No one was injured in the explosion. 

Arrests in Russia
There were also protests in Russia at the start of the election, including the setting off of incendiary devices at several polling stations. At least nine people were arrested for "vandalism". It was initially unclear whether this was a coordinated protest against the election or an isolated incident.

A flying election commission in occupied Donetsk visits Ukrainians at home.(Bild: APA/AFP/STRINGER)

According to Russian figures, 4.5 million people have been called to vote in the occupied parts of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Voting will also take place on the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed back in 2014. Kiev protested against the votes, which were held in breach of international law, and called on the international community not to recognize the results. The Supreme Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, also demanded that the pressure of sanctions on Russia be increased.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused Russia of violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine in breach of international law. The ministry called on the people in the occupied territories not to take part in the "pseudo-elections". "Russia's dictatorship has long since ceased to have anything to do with democracy," it said in a statement. In fact, Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on suspicion of having committed serious war crimes in Ukraine. He has held on to power for more than 24 years through manipulation, propaganda and violence, including assassinations of independent politicians.

"Russians deserve a real choice"
Austria's Foreign Ministry criticizes the lack of independent OSCE election observers. The presidential elections in Russia had begun "amid repression, intimidation and persecution". "The Russian people deserve a genuine election and the security and freedom to exercise it", it said in a statement on the online service X (see below). It also condemned "the sham elections" in the occupied regions. "These 'elections' are illegal, their results lack any legitimacy!"2

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the inclusion of occupied Ukrainian territories in the Russian presidential election. The annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia in recent years is contrary to international law and therefore null and void, explained a spokesperson for the Secretary-General. He referred to resolutions of the UN General Assembly that had called on Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Military: Ukraine fired on polling stations
According to the Kremlin, the Russian president cast his vote online on Friday. At a meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt the presidential elections. To this end, Ukraine had fired on Russian territory and deployed soldiers to cross his country's borders. According to the Russian military, the Ukrainian army shelled polling stations in the occupied city of Kakhovka. "These hostile attacks will not go unpunished," threatened the Kremlin leader. According to Putin, there were four attacks on the Belgorod region and one on the Kursk region by armed Ukrainian units.

Effects of an airstrike on Belgorod on Friday(Bild: AFP)

Navalnaya calls for protest
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the deceased Kremlin opponent Alexey Navalny, has called on the Russian population to protest and vote for all candidates except Putin. She also called on opposition supporters to go to the polling stations at the same time on Sunday at 12 noon to demonstrate their unity and presence. The Moscow public prosecutor's office responded to the call by announcing that any form of protest was "punishable under current law".