INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
10, the four regions will vote to choose local parliaments despite Moscow failing to fully control any of them and active combat in several
areas."The main goal that the Kremlin is aiming to achieve through these elections is to legitimize the authorities and showcase that the
integration into Russia," he told The Moscow Times.In addition to building legitimacy, the vote, which could be postponed due to martial law
Elections in the occupied territories will also be conducted solely through party lists, meaning that residents of these regions will not be
voting for individual candidates.While the candidate lists for the election to local parliaments include candidates from the ruling United
Russia party, the Communist Party (KPRF), the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), the New People party and the A Just Russia
out under the auspices of the Kremlin-aligned United Russia party.According to the Russian state-run VTsIOM pollster, support for United
Russia in the occupied territories ranged from 80% to 89% as of last month.The full candidate lists have not even been published due to
past criminal convictions, including corruption, tax evasion, and robbery, which were cleared.Igor Bazarny, who is running as part of the
LDPR in the Kherson region, was convicted for abuse of authority in a military unit in the Murmansk region in 2020
His criminal record was later expunged.The lists also include at least two officials from President Vladimir Putin's administration
Oleg Nesterov, who is on the list of candidates for the Zaporizhzhia regional assembly, was never a public figure until he was sanctioned by
for allegedly coordinating an illegal referendum on the entry of Zaporizhzhia into Russia and overseeing the establishment of so-called
regions are housewives, pensioners, students or unemployed people, the iStories and CIT report said.Some local candidates appeared to switch
their positions on the war just months ago
Vitaliy Buliuk, the former deputy chairman of Ukraine's Kherson administration who is now running for the Kremlin-backed Kherson parliament,
loyalty to Moscow, the voting process, which began last week and ends Sunday, may be extended due to people's reluctance to participate, a
occupied regions, the source said
motivation to go to the polling stations
at a mobile polling station during early voting for local elections organized by the Russian-installed authorities in the occupied city of
Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.AFPIn an apparent attempt to boost voter turnout, residents of all four regions are also permitted to use their
Russian or Ukrainian passports when participating in the vote.Ukraine has already slammed the vote, asking locals not to participate and
said in a statement Friday, adding that those involved in the elections should be sanctioned.However, according to experts and Russian
military situation and the threat of shelling since the territories are a frontline zone," the source close to the Kremlin said."It is clear
