Occupied Ukraine encouraged to vote in Russian election by armed men17 Mar 2024 15:30
Moscow has launched a wide-ranging campaign telling residents of occupied parts of Ukraine to vote in Russia's presidential election.
For the first time, the national vote is taking place over three days (15-17 March), but additional early voting has already begun in the occupied parts of four Ukrainian regions: Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk.
One resident complained of pro-Russian collaborators with ballot boxes going from house to house looking for voters accompanied by armed soldiers.
Vladimir Putin will certainly win another term of office, but a high turnout would help the Kremlin's efforts to legitimise his continued rule.
It would also be used to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin is one of four candidates on the ballot, but none of the others poses a realistic challenge.
All of his most outspoken critics have either been forced into exile, jailed, or have died.