Sham referendums in Ukraine: “Theatre of the absurd”

After the announced partial mobilization of the Russian army, mock referendums are to begin tomorrow in the occupied territories. Silke Diettrich spoke to people in Selensky’s hometown.

Chimneys, factories and winding towers: the heart of the Ukrainian steel industry beats in Krywyi Rih. The largest steel combine in the country is located in the middle of the city. Around 26,000 people are employed here, even now, in the middle of the war.

The people in the city where President Volodymyr Zelenskyi grew up are just as tough as their image. The Russian troops could never advance as far as this.

“You just won’t go”

And in the Cherson region, more than 150 kilometers south of the city, where a referendum is now to be held, hearts would beat with full force for Ukraine, says Iryna, who is on her way to the supermarket with her sister.

She believes that the “referendum” is doomed to failure and says: “No one in Kherson, for example, will support such a referendum by Putin, they simply won’t go. Unless they are forced to do so. But like in the self-proclaimed republics in the east, he won’t be able to do that in the south.”

More than 70,000 people from Cherson have fled to the city of steel in the past few weeks and months. Rockets keep falling in Krywyi Rih. A few days ago on the dam, more than 100 houses were damaged by the floods that were triggered by it. He wouldn’t let that intimidate him either, says Ilja.

“A Dirty Game”

A young doctor who has been treating wounded soldiers since the beginning of the war of aggression and collecting donations to get new bandages for the army. It’s all criminal,” he says.

Fear of more soldiers

Pensioner Ludmila also says that the Russians cannot be trusted. Nevertheless, she is afraid that Putin will carry out his threat and send even more soldiers to Ukraine. She says: “I also believe that this will not be a credible vote. What is happening here right now, this whole war. It’s scary, just terrible.”

Then, as so often during the day, the air raid alarm rings out through the streets of Krywyi Rih. Some people hide in subway tunnels or in basements.

Alina has disappeared with her colleagues below the university, her cell phone keeps ringing. But she is extremely angry with Russia and now wants to get rid of it: “It’s schizophrenic, what’s with these referendums? This is our country! No matter how many referenda they organize, it’s absurd theatre.”

And then she turns directly to the Russian government and its followers: “If you want to hold a referendum, then do it! We’ll kill you anyway, and we’ll kill you on our land!”