Forced voting at gunpoint: Nova Kakhovka Mayor condemns Russian pseudo-elections in occupied Ukrainian territories

Speaking on Espreso TV, he revealed the challenges.

"Nova Kakhovka and its ten constituent settlements have become a ghost territory with Russian troops stationed nearby. Residents live in fear, grappling with door-to-door visits that force them to participate in the so-called elections orchestrated by occupiers and traitors. Documentary evidence confirms the initiation of these pseudo-elections within the Nova Kakhovka community," noted Kovalenko.

The mayor explained that many residents chose to stay indoors, avoiding participation in the sham elections.

"Is avoidance possible? People isolate themselves, avoid being seen, and stay indoors. Some residents staunchly oppose participating, they view voting as self-destruction. One woman described running to the store, hiding behind buildings, and two gunmen meeting her and shoving a ballot box under her face: "Throw the ballot in there." What can this woman do in such a situation?" emphasized Kovalenko.

• On February 19, reports surfaced of Russians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine conducting door-to-door campaigns to coerce participation in the pseudo-elections and identify residents.
• On the same day, information revealed the Kremlin's deployment of specialized squads to oversee falsifications and monitor the so-called election commissions in the occupied territories, creating a distorted image of Putin's support.
• EU spokesperson Peter Stano, on February 20 in Brussels, declared the European Union's non-recognition of the results of Putin's pseudo-presidential elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
• In the occupied territories, invaders plan to record voter turnout using video surveillance equipped with a facial recognition system during the "elections" of the Russian president.