Russia is preparing for a series of so-called referendums to ostensibly legitimize the secession of eastern and southern territories in Ukraine conquered since its invasion began in February, printing ballots, election posters and booklets.
"There will be no real election, save for a few districts where voting will be staged for Russian cameras," according to a message from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.
The practice follows similar actions by Russia already taken in Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine, as well as other countries such as Transnistria in Moldova and South Ossetia in Georgia, neither of which are generally recognized by the international community as sovereign states.
Kherson reportedly is to be transformed from a Ukrainian port town into the capital of the "People's Republic of Kherson."
The ballots are meant for some actual residents of the city, who Ukrainian intelligence claims were duped into giving away their passport information, like identification number, name, and date of birth.
Over the past month, a Russian-installed government in Kherson made access to humanitarian aid accessible only to those who disclosed the information. The city is blockaded by Russian troops and firmly under Russian control.
The Ukraine military's general staff says uncorroborated reports indicate that they have received reports from residents that the Russian military is looking to target Kherson and other areas, offering the referendums as protection against attacks.
"The Russians have been spotted turning their 'Grad' missile systems in the direction of Kherson to fire at the city and blame the Armed Forces of Ukraine," a spokesman for the Odesa Regional Administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, said on his Telegram account. "This will be a reason for Russia to 'save' the city by hosting a referendum to break away from Ukraine."
The Ukrainian general staff usually avoids civilian reports, but indicated that the local population is concerned about the adoption of the secessionist referendum.
"There's an understanding among the locals that after the inevitable success of the referendum, Russia will start mobilizing the local population into their army," said the message.
While the Kherson region would be given an image of independence from Russia, some smaller towns, like Snihurivka in the southern Mykolaiv region, are facing different circumstances.
The ballot in Snihurivka will ask the locals to elect a new mayor and whether they'd like to join Russia as part of Crimea, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence claims.
"Citizens will be asked to come to designated voting stations," the message said. "The whole thing is being organized by Tetiana Mezina, the town's pro-Russian mayor and Oleksandr Larchenko, the previous mayor."
Russian authorities in de facto control of the town already have begun a series of actions to indicate passage of the referendum, including undertaking a census of those receiving government payments, the ruble replacing the hryvna as the official currency, and Russian mobile service and internet providers beginning installation with completion expected by Sept. 1.
The Ukrainian Zaporizhya Regional Military Administration reported that Russian authorities imposed other measures in the small town of Rozivka, which borders the Russian-declared "Donetsk People's Republic."
"The local population, most of whom are either older folks or refugees from Mariupol, were told to gather at a local cultural center to discuss pensions and their day-to-day needs. Instead, they were presented with a convoluted petition that would call for the election of a new mayor and ask the bordering 'people's republic' to accept their town. People, threatened with guns, were forced to vote for and sign this petition," the message from the Zaporizhya Regional Military Administration said.
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