In the four Ukrainian regions largely occupied by Russia, several million residents have been called to mock referendums on accession to Russia. The vote, set to run from September 23-27, was only announced this week. Moscow wants to incorporate the areas with the help of the result. Neither Ukraine nor the international community will recognize the vote under occupying Russia.

While the ballots in the territories Luhansk and Donetsk in Russian only are formulated, they will be in Zaporizhia and Kherson bilingual be. According to a local media report, 1.5 million ballot papers have already been printed in the Donetsk region for the same number of registered voters. A total of more than 450 polling stations are said to have been prepared there. Before 2014 Donetsk region had more than 3.6 million eligible voters. In the Cherson region, those in power officially announced 750,000 registered voters and just under 200 polling stations.

While the polling stations in the Luhansk region are supposed to be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time (7 a.m. to 3 p.m. CEST), in the Donetsk region voting is possible from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhia, almost 400 polling stations are said to be open only on September 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the other three days, for security reasons, poll workers are to go from apartment to apartment between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. There are said to be more than 500,000 voters in this area. Before the outbreak of war there were more than 1.3 million. The regional capital, Zaporizhia, remains under Ukrainian control. The information cannot be verified.

In the Russian region of Rostov, 135 polling stations are also to be opened for refugees from the four regions. Meanwhile, Kyiv once again called on the men in the areas to flee, since after the territory was annexed by the Russian Federation they could also be drafted into the Russian army.