Preparations for so-called referendums have begun in temporarily occupied territories - General Staff

This was announced on Facebook by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"In the settlements of the Kherson region, representatives of the Russian occupation authorities, under the pretext of quality distribution of humanitarian aid, are trying to obtain their personal data from local residents. The formation of so-called election commissions and the strengthening of the administrative-police occupation regime are ongoing," the message says.

In the city of Starobilsk, Luhansk region, the occupation authorities forbade the local population to leave the city between September 23 and 27.  According to available information, the occupiers are creating armed groups to go around homes and force people to participate in the so-called referendum.  Preparations are being made for filming by propaganda media stories about "active participation of local residents in voting".

The General Staff reports that in the temporarily captured territory of the Zaporizhzhia region, local residents are promised cash rewards and household appliances for providing passport data and obtaining Russian citizenship.