RF admits being incapable of holding referendums in occupied territories – ISW

Russia cannot seize the desired regions and fight the local resistance movement in the occupied territories. The Russian Federation increasingly admits its inability to hold pseudo-referendums.

That follows from a statement by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Thus, according to analysts, the Kremlin wanted to capture Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions by the summer of 2022. However, this plan failed completely.

"The inability of the Russian military to take control of these territories has undermined the prospects of organizing large-scale "operations" - large-scale pseudo-referendums in the occupied regions," the report says.

Analysts believe that Moscow "will continue to spread the concept of large-scale pseudo-referendums in the information space."

However, Kremlin stooges in the occupied territories understand that even a staged vote may not take place at all due to the tandem effects of Russian military failures and pressure from special forces and civil resistance.

As reported by Ukrainian News Agency, Russia is confident that Donetsk region will be annexed to the Russian Federation by the end of the year.

Currently, several options for the development of this situation are being considered in Russia. Perhaps the "referendums" will be held on September 11, and the rest of the territory of the Donetsk region will be annexed as it is captured by Russian troops.