Russia wants Ukrainians in occupied territories and Russia to vote in Ukrainian elections – Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian authorities have been making preparations to ensure that Ukrainian citizens in Russia and the occupied territories can take part in Ukrainian elections or a referendum.

Source: Zelenskyy during an online interview with journalists

Quote: "It is important that observers are present everywhere…

…This morning I received a briefing from the Foreign Intelligence Service [of Ukraine]. Russia has already set the task of doing everything they can to ensure that Ukrainians who are in the territory of Russia, as well as Ukrainians who are in temporarily Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, can vote.

Why are they doing this? The objective is clear: to keep on raising the issue that a large number of people live there and they have the right to vote, so that afterwards Russia can say it does not recognise these elections.

As you can see, Russia does not care how it gets the message across that the Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate. I'm constantly saying this. Russia itself is illegitimate, so it will produce corresponding messages about the illegitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities."

Background: Zelenskyy told journalists on 23 December that Ukraine would either submit the 20-point peace agreement for ratification by parliament or hold a nationwide referendum, and may also decide to hold elections at the same time as the referendum.

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