According to the Ukrainian Center of National Resistance, which coordinates partisans, the Ukrainian underground in the occupied city of Nova Kakhovka (Zaporizhzhia oblast) managed to carry out a successful sabotage against the occupation administration. Partisans blew up the car of the occupiers, which was used to transport “ballots” and “polling stations” during the so-called elections. As a result of the car explosion, one Russian soldier was killed, and two others were injured.

The Kremlin is trying to hold so-called local elections in the captured Ukrainian territories simultaneously with the rest of Russia to integrate the occupied territory into Russian political space. “Elections” are announced for 8-10 September 2023. However, since 1 September, the so-called “mobile commissions” accompanied by armed Russian military personnel began visiting people’s houses and forcing them to vote.

Also, Russia is preparing for mobilization in the Southern Military District and has already created a network of military committees on the captured lands to mobilize locals. However, they need more data about people living in the occupied areas. “Elections,” along with other objectives, will possibly be used to update information about the male population of the region.