Russia To Hold Presidential Elections In Occupied Ukraine

The Russian election commission has given a hint that the upcoming presidential election would take place in regions of Ukraine that are currently under partial Russian occupation, Interfax reported on Monday, December 11.

As the war in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary, the Russian news agency Interfax reports that it might be possible to hold elections in the areas currently under partial Russian control.

In Russian law, the CEC can hold elections in areas that are subject to martial law, but only after first conferring with the Defence Ministry and FSB, Moscow Times reports.

The Kremlin has announced the annexation of several regions in Ukraine. The areas affected include Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

“Not only is the electoral system of the four [occupied regions]… in working order, but it’s highly professional,” said deputy CEC chairman Nikolai Bulayev. President Vladimir Putin intends to seek a fifth term in office.

He is expected to win given the current political landscape in Russia. The next year’s presidential election is scheduled for March 15–17.