Russia stages sham elections in occupied Ukraine amid tensions

Although the official presidential elections in Russia are scheduled from March 15 to March 17, voting in the occupied Ukrainian territories has already started. According to the British Ministry of Defence, polling stations have been set up, notably in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.

These so-called elections are far from democratic. Individuals are compelled to partake in a superficial political exercise, with Vladimir Putin virtually guaranteed victory, all under the menacing watch of armed guards.

The presence of these soldiers is primarily due to the Kremlin's apprehension regarding potential attacks on polling locations by Ukrainians and Putin's adversaries.

A compelling piece of evidence is a video shared on Twitter, depicting a woman being coerced into voting. The footage reveals the elder's distress, powerless under the soldier's intimidating surveillance.

Many are questioning the rationale behind Vladimir Putin and his administration's decision to hold presidential elections when the outcome seems predetermined. This "farce," as some call it, has drawn widespread criticism.

"Why pretend there's a democratic process when every Russian knows the election's winner before it's even started? They might as well crown their chosen one as the tsar and spare themselves the embarrassment," comments one of the critics.