British Intelligence: Russia invents new excuse for Ukrainian territories seizure

The UK Ministry of Defense reported the information on Twitter.

Head of the Russian Federation's Council of Ministers, Valentina Matvienko, announced the holding of regional pseudo-elections on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. They are to be held on September 10, 2023, the same day as the rest of Russia. This decision, according to British intelligence, emphasizes the Russian leadership's desire to present the occupied territories as integral parts of the Russian Federation.

According to intelligence, the pseudo-elections follow efforts to "russify" the temporarily occupied territories. They include changes in education, transportation and communication systems.

"While meaningful democratic choices are no longer available to voters at even regional level elections in Russia, leaders will likely make the self-vindicating argument that new elections further justify the occupation," the intelligence noted.

• On February 5, British intelligence reported that the main supply routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Bakhmut were likely under Russian fire, and that Russian troops could have seized the highway connecting the city to Siversk.