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https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-west-condemns-sham-referendums-in-russian-occupied-areas-191432>
"Polls have closed in four Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine after four
days of voting in referendums on their future status. Predictably, the results
showed “overwhelming support” for joining Russia.
Tass, Russia’s state-owned news agency, has reported that early counting has
revealed more than 97% of votes were cast in favour of the occupied regions
joining the Russian Federation.
The very idea that people who lived under a hostile occupying power for months
and in many cases were forced to participate in the vote have had a free
choice, or that their choice mattered, is laughable even by Russian standards.
In 2014, Russia at least kept up some facade of a campaign in the equally
illegal and shambolic Crimean referendum. This time, there were merely three
days between the announcement of the referendums on September 20 and their
start on September 23.
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The referendums violate almost every conceivable democratic standard. Ballot
boxes were reportedly carried from house to house to force people to cast their
votes. There was an intimidating military presence in polling stations. No
credible international observers were monitoring the vote in the occupied areas
or in Russia or Crimea, where refugees from Ukraine have also been called upon
to vote."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
