Russia forces voting in occupied Ukraine despite international condemnation
Russian authorities are compelling residents in occupied Ukrainian regions to participate in elections, a move condemned by Kyiv and the European Union as an illegal attempt to legitimize occupation. Activists report that local election commissions, escorted by Russian troops and security agents, are visiting homes to force participation. Moscow-appointed officials are threatening public sector employees with dismissal and conditioning pensions and social benefits on voting. The European Commission labeled the polls a 'blatant violation of international law,' while Ukrainian analysts described the process as a 'farce' conducted under threat of violence and amid ongoing shelling.
