ISW: Russia accelerates preparations for “referendum” in Ukraine

Russia can accelerate preparations for “referendums” in the captured Ukrainian territories, including in connection with the counter -access of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the American Institute for the Study of War.

According to him, the “authorities” appointed by the Russian Federation can change the terms of “referenda” in response to changing realities in the field, including the Ukrainian counter -cost.

with reference to the mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov, the Institute for the Study of War writes that in the Zaporizhzhya region, the authorities have previously planned one day of voting, but now they consider the possibility of seven -day “voting from home”, during which Russian troops will go home and ” Request “residents of Melitopol.

Advisor to the Ukrainian Kherson administration, Sergei Hlan, noted that the “authorities” have not yet fully determined the conditions for holding a referendum as of August 7, but accelerate its preparation after a three -week pause, which Hlanes explained by the attacks of Ukrainian Himars. According to him, the preliminary date of the referendum remains September 11th.

The head of the Lugansk Ova Sergey Gaidai said that the “authorities” in the Lugansk region have already identified places for the fictitious “referendum”.