British Secret Service
Moscow wants to hold elections in occupied areas of Ukraine
Voting in Luhansk: As early as September 2022, Moscow held a vote on accession to Russia in the occupied territories. photo
© AP/dpa
Preparations for the elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories are in full swing. According to British intelligence, the alleged votes are scheduled for September 10th.
According to British estimates, with elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia wants to present the regions as an integral part of the Russian Federation.
“This follows ongoing attempts to ‘russify’ the occupied areas, which includes overhauling education, communications and transport systems,” the Ministry of Defense said in London, citing intelligence findings. The leadership in Moscow will use the “self-confirming argument” that new elections justify the occupation.
The chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, recently announced that preparations for the elections were already underway. According to British information, these alleged votes are scheduled for September 10th and should therefore take place on the same day as in the Russian regions. The British ministry stressed that in Russia, even in regional elections, “no meaningful democratic” choices were available.
The British Ministry of Defense has been publishing daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February last year, citing intelligence information. In doing so, the British government wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.