In Melitopol, invading Russia forces prepare sham elections by bussing in supporters, jamming communications

In temporarily occupied Melitopol, invading Russian forces have begun preparations for their sham presidential elections. Performers have been brought to the city to campaign for Vladimir Putin and the "Russian world"

The Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov reported the information.

"The occupiers are preparing to please Putin once again - they have begun preparations for illegal elections," he wrote.

According to him, eight buses of performers were brought to Melitopol and settled in the seized premises. Russia's representatives hold meetings in the district state administration building, where they jam the communication so that no one can "overhear criminal secrets."

"According to the residents, they brought in supporters who spread deadly lies about the dictator and the 'Russian world' in the occupied territories. However, Ukrainian people know the truth for sure, and they see the 'Russian world' - poverty, terror, and unfreedom - with their own eyes," Fedorov says.

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called on the international community to strongly condemn Russia's intention to hold presidential elections in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and to impose sanctions on all those involved in organizing and conducting them.