Referendums on joining Russia begin in four regions of Ukraine. How will voting be done?

Four regions of Ukraine controlled by Russian forces are holding referendums on annexation with Russia starting Friday, a referendum condemned by Western countries as illegal and a precursor to illegal annexation.

Russian-appointed leaders announced plans for referendums on Tuesday, seen by the West as a challenge that could lead to a sudden escalation of the war. Ukraine and its allies have said they will not recognize the referendum results.

Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia provinces, representing approximately 15% of the territory of Ukraine, are scheduled to take place from Friday to Tuesday.

According to the BBC, Russian media reported that election officials will go door-to-door with mobile ballot boxes from Friday to Monday.

For security reasons, polling booths will function only on the fifth day, September 27.

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Hundreds of polling stations are set to open that day, allowing voters to cast their ballots in areas other than where they live.

Luhansk and Donetsk regions – where ballots are written only in Russian – have been under the control of pro-Russian separatists since 2014, with more territory seized this year.

Moscow occupied parts of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions following the February invasion.

If Russia continues to claim Ukrainian land as its own, it could claim that its territory – not just military – is being attacked by Western weapons supplied to Ukraine, which could escalate the war, the BBC opined.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was condemned and disqualified by the international community in another referendum.

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