Elections to the Russian State Duma were concluded ahead of schedule in the occupied Donetsk region
On September 20, in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk Oblast, the operating hours of polling stations were shortened during the illegal Russian vote for the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Instead of closing at the usual time of 8:00 p.m., they remained open only until 2:00 p.m. The occupying “election commission” explained this by claiming that most residents had allegedly already voted.
In the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast, the Russians shortened the final day of the illegal “voting” for the Russian State Duma. On September 20, polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. However, just a few hours later, they decided to close them. According to a decision by the occupying “election commission,” polling stations were to remain open only until 2:00 p.m.
This was reported by the publication “Ostrov.” The information is also confirmed by reports from the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. The so-called head of the “republican election commission,” Vladimir Vysotsky, explained the reason for this decision. According to him, the majority of residents had allegedly already cast their votes. “The majority of residents have already cast their votes,” Vysotsky stated.
The occupiers claimed a turnout of over 80%
The shortening of the “voting” period came amid claims by the occupation administration of a very high turnout. According to Vysotsky, as of the evening of September 19—that is, after the second day of the main voting—turnout in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast allegedly stood at 80.88%. This figure includes votes cast before the end of the final day.
Earlier, the occupying “authorities” also reported high turnout during the early voting phase. Even before the main voting began, they announced a 75% turnout. Thus, according to the occupation administration, the overwhelming majority of voters had already cast their ballots by the end of the second day of the main voting period. At the same time, these figures are claims made by the Russian occupation administration and are not independently verified data.
Russia is holding “elections” in the occupied territories
Russia is holding elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation on September 18–20. Moscow has illegally included residents of the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions in this election. Ukraine does not recognize these “elections” or their results. Ukraine’s Central Election Commission stated that Russia’s conduct of electoral procedures in the temporarily occupied territories is part of an attempt to legitimize the occupation and extend Russian legislation to Ukrainian territories.
In occupied Donetsk Oblast, the Russians did not limit themselves to the main three-day voting period. Prior to that, they organized an early voting phase. According to reports from the occupation administration, mobile teams visited residents. Earlier reports indicated there were nearly 700 such teams. Now, however, they have decided to shorten the final day of the main “voting.” Polling stations in occupied Donetsk Oblast are scheduled to close at 2:00 p.m. on September 20. Ukraine will not recognize the final results of the Russian vote in the occupied territories.
