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Similarly, the referenda to be held across the parts of Ukraine's Donbas region still held by Russia will also have little effect. In fact, these 'votes' are not even designed to give the veneer of legitimacy as with so many other Russian 'elections'. That is too big an ask of all but the most ardent Putin apologists. At best, the referenda may offer a pretext to a wider Russian mobilization and the case that the war is now being fought on Russian territory -- thus justifying the new reservist push and their inevitable sacrifice.
I also noted elsewhere that the polls are being conducted by Russian soldiers going door to door...I can only imagine the accuracy of a vote taken by armed men knocking on doors and asking whether the residents want them to be in charge or not...:shock:...Ben