Pseudo-elections in the TOT: how propaganda portrays crowds at polling stations
With the start of the main voting stage of the pseudo-elections to russia’s state duma, russian propaganda has launched a large-scale information campaign, attempting to create the illusion of a massive «patriotic upsurge» in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.
Propaganda media are massively producing reports about alleged «queues and excitement» at polling stations in occupied cities. In these reports, it is noticeable that all members of the election commissions wear ribbons in the colours of the russian flag, in order to give the illegal process a «patriotic» meaning.
To lure people to polling stations, the occupiers organise various entertainments and shows. For example, in occupied Henichesk, a polling station was styled as the «1960s», with soviet songs and a buffet serving «Dyushes» lemonade, attempting to cover up the grim reality of the occupation with a bright nostalgic picture.
At the same time, polling stations have also been opened in frontline areas. The kremlin is deliberately putting civilians at deadly risk solely for the sake of a few shots for propaganda news reports.
The main goal of this farce is to create a false picture of «absolute support for russia» among the population of the TOT, thereby justifying the aggression and occupation of Ukrainian lands.
