Voting for the Russian presidential election began on the 15th in the capital Moscow and other locations.
President Putin appears to want to win with an overwhelming majority of votes, in order to show the public's confidence in his policy to date, including the invasion of Ukraine.
There are four candidates running in the Russian presidential election, including President Putin.
Voting was held for three days until the 18th, and began in the Far East and moved westward according to the time difference within the country, starting in the capital Moscow at 2:00 pm Japan time on the 15th.
After voting, the woman said of President Putin, ``I think his policies are correct. We must win in Ukraine and quickly end the special military operation.''
In this election, President Putin, who is seeking his fifth term in office, is far ahead of the other candidates and is certain to be re-elected.
Meanwhile, candidates such as former members of the lower house of parliament who criticized the military invasion were not allowed, opposition leader Navalny died in prison last month, and his wife called for people to vote for candidates other than President Putin. I am.
President Putin appears to want to win with an overwhelming majority of votes, in order to show the public's confidence in his policy to date, including the invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia is also pushing ahead with what it calls elections in Crimea and four eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, including Donetsk, which it unilaterally declared annexed through military invasion.
Russia presses election campaign in areas aiming to turn control into a fait accompli
After fierce fighting, Russian forces took control of Mariupol in the eastern Donetsk region in May of last year.
The city was largely destroyed and many civilians fled, with international human rights groups estimating last month that more than 8,000 people had been killed.
The Putin administration then unilaterally declared the annexation of four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine, and, with the aim of turning its rule into a fait accompli, proceeded with rebuilding houses and building new railways, while also infusing migrants from all over Russia. It appears that they are also trying to attract more people.
This month, an investigative reporting group made up of Ukrainian journalists revealed that the Russian side is accelerating the construction of a new railway linking Russia-controlled Crimea in southern Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast in eastern Russia, and Rostov Oblast in southern Russia, based on analysis of satellite images and other data. I am telling you that I have found out.
Although the railway is advertised within Russia as a tourist site, it is pointed out that it may actually be used to transport weapons for a military invasion, and is located close to the front line in areas such as the southern Zaporizhzhya Oblast. Construction preparations are said to be underway at the location.
In addition, in March last year, the Russian presidential palace announced that President Putin had visited Mariupol, showing off its dominance, and in May last year, Russia's state-run news agency reported that the construction of the first kindergarten in Mariupol since the declaration of annexation had been completed. We are promoting the improvement of the living environment, such as by telling people that we have done the same.
Furthermore, a medical center has been established in Mariupol equipped with the latest equipment and employing more than 100 doctors, and President Putin attended the opening ceremony online at the end of January this year.
Executives at the medical center reported that construction was carried out by companies affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, and the construction period was shortened by two months from the original plan, indicating that construction was progressing at a rapid pace in the lead-up to the presidential election. I will.
This time, the Russian side is pushing ahead with activities that are considered elections in these areas as well.
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 14th calling on local Ukrainian citizens not to participate, calling these activities illegal and "a sign of Russia's continued gross disregard for the norms and principles of international law." He called on the international community not to recognize the results.
The Ukrainian military has also released footage of drones distributing leaflets warning people not to participate or cooperate.
Many voices of opposition from Ukrainian citizens
Regarding the presidential election that began in Russia, there were many voices in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, criticizing it as ``not democratic'' and opposing the fact that Russia is carrying out activities that are considered to be an election in areas under its control in Ukraine. Ta.
A 47-year-old man living in Kiv criticized this election as nothing more than a ritual to re-elect President Putin, saying, ``Russia has no choice and there is no such thing as an election.''
He then commented on the fact that Russia is pushing ahead with election activities in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, which it has unilaterally declared annexation of, ``It's really scary. It's as if the people living there want to go to the Russian side.'' "Russia will use pressure and threats to demonstrate, but in reality there is no such thing."
A 20-year-old male medical student attending a local university said, ``I don't think anything will change. It's nonsense,'' and, regarding the certainty of President Putin's election, ``I don't think there will be a war unless he changes his mind.'' will continue. The best thing Ukrainians can do is donate to the military."
A 29-year-old woman from the southern region of Zaporizhzhia also commented on the Russian campaign in her hometown, saying, ``People are threatened by the military and are afraid of losing their lives, families, and property.'' "I have no choice but to participate in the movement, and it makes me angry," he said, criticizing the incident as unfair and unacceptable.