Those fleeing Russian-held territory say the so-called referendum was staged by men with guns who forced residents to cast their votes at ballot boxes in the middle of the street.
The hour where Russia is preparing to annex a portion of Ukrainian territory the size of Portugal after holding what it described as referendums in four occupied provinces; the Ukrainians who managed to escape describe a process that might be funny if it weren’t so menacing.
“Its funny. No one voted, but the results came out,” Lyubomir Boyko, 43, from Golo Pristan, a village in the Russian-held Kherson province, said with a laugh as he waited outside a United Nations aid office today with his family in a refugee reception center.
“They can announce whatever they want. No one voted in the referendum except for a few people who switched sides. They went from house to house, but nobody came out,” said Boyko.
He, his wife and their two children had arrived at the aid center in the parking lot of a store in the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhia the day before, after waiting for two days before Russian forces allowed them through the final checkpoint. .
Those who leave territories under Russian occupation say that the so-called a referendum was held by men with guns who coerced residents to cast their votes in polling stations in the middle of the street. The biggest fear is that once Moscow declares this territory part of Russia, it will immediately start forcing men to fight with its forces.
For now, Russian forces are allowing some civilians to leave the occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhia provinces through the single checkpoint. No one knows how long this passage will remain open, especially for men of military age.
Hundreds of people they arrived yesterday in cars and vans after they were suddenly allowed to leave. This morning there were still some in the center who had nowhere to go, trying to find accommodation after spending the night at a school.
“Many just leave everything behind. There are places that are completely deserted,” Boyko said. “Everyone wants to be in Ukraine and that’s why everyone is leaving. There is a lawless place over there. Entire villages are leaving.”
Boyko said officers from the FSB, Russia’s internal security service, told him and others at the last checkpoint that if they left for Ukraine, they would never be allowed to return. He did not know if men of military age were still allowed to pass.
“The line of vehicles was so long that you couldn’t see the end of it,” said another man, Andriy, 37, who did not want to give his last name, as he stood next to a yellow, muddy van in which he arrived at the point with his wife, two children and his parents.
“70% of people leave because of the referendum. There was no light, no gas, no work and suddenly there is a referendum,” said Andriy, who works in agricultural crops in Berislav, Kherson province. “It’s absolute nonsense. I don’t know a single person who voted.” He said he saw passers-by filling in their ballots kneeling at an intersection in Bereslav.
Russia said the vote was voluntary and turnout high. Pro-Russian officials released what they called results that showed overwhelming support for annexation. Kyiv and Western countries call the process a ‘fraud’ aimed at justifying the annexation of territories seized by force.
“If I came to your house and said, ‘Now this place is mine,’ what would you do?” said Andrii’s father Viktor, 60. “Would you hand it over? No, you would go after them with a pitchfork. Russians are morally repugnant. All of this is covered in blood.”
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I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
