Lemonade, dominoes and Soviet uniforms: how Russia is holding "elections" in Kherson Oblast – photos, video

In the temporarily occupied part of Kherson Oblast, Russia is holding sham elections to its State Duma (Russia's lower chamber of parliament) using themed polling stations styled after different historical eras – from the Russian Empire to the post-war USSR.

Source: Kherson media outlet Most

Details: The main stage of the illegal voting began on 18 September, following ten days of so-called early voting, and will run until Sunday 20 September. The Russian-appointed occupation authorities described the decoration of the polling stations as a "historical journey".

At least four polling stations were decorated in different styles, and members of the so-called election commissions were dressed up in themed costumes.

In Henichesk, staff recreated the atmosphere of the 1960s: offering lemonade and cakes made "to Soviet state standard", playing Soviet songs, holding games of dominoes and even handing out hats. Photographs of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, destroyed by Russian forces, were displayed on stands there.

In Kalanchak, voters were greeted by characters dressed as Catherine II and Fyodor Ushakov, while in Chaplynka, the polling station was styled after the elections to the Russian Empire's first State Duma in 1906.

In Novotroitske, the Russians recreated the atmosphere of the first post-war Soviet elections of 1945-1947, with polling station staff sitting in Soviet military uniform.

The report also features a boy who said he received headphones, a case for them and a notebook for taking part in the vote.

Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed proxy governor of occupied Kherson Oblast, voted at a polling station named after Kyrylo Stremousov, a collaborator who was killed. There, Saldo also sat in a vintage car, played dominoes and sampled pastries.

Background: Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is urging the world not to recognise the Russian elections to the State Duma and regional parliaments, which it is holding both on its own territory and in temporarily occupied Ukraine.

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