Russia to Hold Presidential Vote in Occupied Ukraine

Photo by STRINGER / AFP

The Central Elections Commission announced on Monday that voting for the Russian presidential election, widely anticipated to result in the re-election of Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to take place in four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin claimed to have annexed last year.

The regions in question are Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, areas of Ukraine where Russia does not maintain complete military control. According to Nikolay Bulayev, the vice-president of the commission, the decision to proceed with voting in these regions was made unanimously.

The election is set to occur over a three-day period, from March 15 to 17, a move that critics argue may complicate efforts to ensure transparency.

Vladimir Putin faces minimal challenges in his pursuit of a fifth term, given that much of Russia's opposition is either incarcerated or in exile.