Putin’s elections come with guns | Break the Fake

(DONETSK OBLAST) – The main phase of Russia’s electoral process has begun in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, with footage from the Donetsk region revealing a process enforced by armed personnel rather than free choice. The French news agency AFP published footage of early voting, which shows members of so-called voting precinct commissions going door to door with portable ballot boxes, accompanied by armed occupiers in full combat gear.

Residents are being forced to fill out their ballots on benches outside apartment buildings or on car bonnets, under the watchful eye of armed guards. In one clip, an armed occupier physically holds a transparent ballot box while a civilian casts their vote. In such an atmosphere, the secret ballot is rendered a purely formal term, as the threat of physical violence remains the only reason to participate. The occupation administration is evidently striving to paint a picture for Moscow of complete voter turnout and unconditional support for the United Russia party, sparing no expense in its efforts to coerce loyalty.

This process serves as a stark reminder of the nature of the so-called referendums to join Russia, which were conducted under similar conditions with armed individuals present. The final election results, obtained under such duress, carry as much legal weight as a sweet wrapper. This is not an election, but a routine special operation designed to coerce the local population.

Meanwhile, on the eve of these sham elections, a group of pro-Kremlin activists, described as “Putin’s squads”, released a video issuing a stern warning to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The group, comprised of militant grandmothers, stated, “Zelenskyy, you won’t ruin the Russian vote.” Their rhetoric suggests a belief that Ukrainian intelligence agencies are working to disrupt their voting process.

The video also featured the group’s red-haired leader issuing an ultimatum to President Zelenskyy, which was a direct quote from the popular TV series Game of Thrones: “You’re a nobody and you have no name.” This performance underscores how Russian elections have strayed from reality and turned into a cheap fantasy. The opposition Apple (Yabloko) party, which wanted to stop the war in Ukraine, was simply kicked off the ballot, demonstrating the predetermined nature of the outcome.