"LDNR"
News about the forthcoming "referendums" in the self-proclaimed republics began with the fact that the head of the "LPR" Leonid Pasechnik signed "a law on voting on the issue of joining Russia as a subject of the federation." The "referendum" is scheduled to be held from 23 to 27 September.
According to TASS, the question at the "referendum" will be posed as follows: "Are you for the entry of the LPR into the Russian Federation as a constituent entity of the Russian Federation?" RIA Novosti reports that residents of the republic outside the “LPR” will also be able to vote. At the same time, it is not specified whether this applies to those who left for territories controlled by Ukraine.
A few minutes after the reports about the “referendum in the LPR” appeared, similar news appeared about the “DPR”. The head of the self-proclaimed republic, Denis Pushilin, said that, just like in the "LPR", the "referendum" would be held on September 23-27.
The head of the "Public Chamber of the DPR" Alexander Kofman said that the "referendum" is planned to be held, including through electronic voting. He promised that the "public chamber" would come up with a corresponding initiative.
Kherson region
Even earlier than the news about the “referendums” in the “LDNR”, there was news that the “Public Council” of the occupied Kherson region took the initiative to immediately vote on recognizing the region as a subject of Russia. According to the authors of the appeal, this must be done because of "acts of terror by the Ukrainian authorities and NATO."
“Joining Russia will not only be a triumph of historical justice, but will also secure the territory of the region, open up new opportunities on the way to the revival and restoration of the power of our land and the return to a full-fledged peaceful life – we are a single victorious people,” the council members addressed the head occupation administration of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo.
A few hours later, he signed a decree calling for a "referendum." The dates are the same as those of the "LDNR" – September 23-27. Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the region's occupation administration , said that electronic voting technology would be used. According to him , residents of the Kherson region, who left for the territories controlled by Kiev, will not be able to vote in the “referendum”. He also promised that those who vote against joining would not face any kind of persecution.
Zaporozhye region
The head of the occupation administration of the Zaporozhye region, Yevhen Balitsky, announced the dates of the “referendum” later than anyone else. They are the same – September 23-27. The chairman of the occupation administration, Vladimir Rogov , said that the voting would take place only in the territories controlled by Russia. In Zaporozhye, which is controlled by Kyiv, according to him, a “referendum” will not be held even remotely. As stated, for security reasons.
The only question will be put to the vote: “Are you in favor of secession of the Zaporozhye region from Ukraine, formation of an independent state by the Zaporozhye region and its entry into the Russian Federation as a subject of the Russian Federation?”.
In addition, Rogov believes that if the Zaporozhye region becomes part of Russia, it would be advisable to rename it the Zaporozhye Territory. Balitsky, in turn, said that he had signed a decree on the formation of volunteer battalions in the region.
Preparations for a “referendum” in the occupied part of the region probably began a few days ago with a “cleansing” operation. On September 18, the pro-Kremlin RIA Novosti published a video showing a Russian military expelling a local resident to Ukrainian-controlled territory. The publication calls him "an unreliable citizen" who led "subversive activities."
The reaction of the Russian authorities
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that the State Duma would support the “free expression of will” of the inhabitants of the “LDNR” if they voted to join Russia during the “referendum”.
“Now they have a choice. And if in the course of a direct expression of will they say that they want to be part of Russia, colleagues, we will support them, and they must understand this, that today we expect a free expression of their will from them, ”he said during the plenary session of the State Duma. The deputies met the speaker's speech with applause.
Vladimir Putin at the time of writing this article did not comment on the news about the upcoming "referenda". However, according to three RBC sources close to the Kremlin, it is going to do it very soon. It is stated that he will perform before the end of the day on September 20. The content of his speech is unknown to the sources of the publication.
The Kremlin pool correspondents also reported that, in addition to Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu could also appeal to the Russians.
Ukraine's reaction
Andriy Yermak, the head of the President's Office, was the first to comment on the announcement of "referendums" from Ukraine. In a message on his Telegram channel, he also mentioned the previously announced appearance of the concept of “mobilization” in the Russian Criminal Code:
“Naive blackmail with threats and horror stories of “referendums”, “mobilizations” from those who know how to fight only with children and civilians. This is what fear looks like. The enemy is afraid, primitively manipulates. Ukraine will solve the Russian question. The threat can only be eliminated by force.”
Following him, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba reacted to the news. She also touched on the mobilization in her statement:
“Neither fake ‘referenda’ nor hybrid ‘mobilization’ will change anything. Russia, as it was and remains, is an aggressor state illegally occupying a part of Ukrainian land. Ukraine has every right to liberate its territories and will continue to liberate them, no matter what they say in Russia.”
Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the President's office, called the "referenda" Moscow's "asymmetric response." Earlier, he stated that on the issues of the occupied territories “there is a global consensus and international law”: Lugansk, Donetsk and Crimea are Ukraine.
“They think that an illegal ‘referendum’ will stop HIMARS and the Armed Forces from destroying the occupiers on our land. Do you really want to take the time it takes to escape to a new show? Try it … It will be interesting, ”Podolyak said.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that the occupying authorities "do not get tired of repeating the Nazi referendum on the Anschluss of Austria."
“They are waiting for the results of 1938. Instead, they will receive the result of Hitler in 1945, ”the message on the department’s Twitter page says.