Russian presidential election: Early voting begins in occupied Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia

Moscow, Russia

Early voting in Russia’s presidential election began in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, reported state news agency TASS, on Sunday (Feb 25) citing a Moscow-appointed local election official. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations said that they will “never recognise” the elections held in the occupied Ukrainian regions. 

Russian presidential election early voting

Early voting for the Russian presidential election kicked off in the Russian-occupied region of Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, said Galina Katyushchenko, chairperson of the regional election commission, according to TASS. 

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The district election commission members will reportedly go door-to-door in the settlements which are adjacent to the frontline amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with ballot papers and boxes and the residents of these areas and Russian soldiers, will be the first ones to vote. 

“People who live close to the line of engagement and service members will be the first to vote,” Katyushchenko told reporters, as quoted by TASS. 

The voters will be asked to present their Russian or Ukrainian passports in order to cast the ballots, according to the commission in the Russian-occupied region. The polling stations in Zaporizhzhia will open on March 17, reported TASS.

Zaporizhzhia is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia annexed in 2022 but only controls parts of them. In September, Russian authorities held elections in the annexed regions for Russian-installed officials which was denounced by the West and Ukraine as a sham. 

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The election will see Russian President Vladimir Putin running virtually unopposed for his fifth term which will keep him in power until 2030. 

Last week, the Russian Supreme Court upheld the ruling by electoral authorities barring anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin from contesting in next month’s election. 

G7 leaders won’t recognise elections

On Saturday (Feb 24) marking the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the leaders from G7 nations released a statement saying that they will not recognise the elections held in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. 

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The leaders of the G7 nations – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union – called on Russia to “immediately cease its war of aggression and completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces from the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine.” 

It added, “We will never recognise so-called ‘elections’, past and future, held by Russia in the territories of Ukraine, nor their results.” 

The G7 leaders called Russia’s intention to hold votes in occupied Ukrainian territories in the upcoming presidential election, an “outrageous violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty”. 

(With inputs from agencies)