Ukrainians scared by Russia's preordained referendums
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) After seven months of war, many Ukrainians fear even more suffering and political repression as referendums orchestrated by the Kremlin portend Russias imminent annexation of four occupied regions.
Many residents fled the regions before the so-called referendums got underway, scared about being forced to vote or potentially being conscripted into the Russian army. Others described hiding behind closed doors, hoping to avoid having to answer to armed soldiers going door-to-door to collect votes.
Petro Kobernik, who left the Russian-held southern city of Kherson just before the preordained voting began Friday, said the prospect of living under Russian law and the escalating war made him and others extremely jittery about the future.
The situation is changing rapidly, and people fear that they will be hurt either by the Russian military, or Ukrainian guerrillas and the advancing Ukrainian troops, Kobernik, 31, said in a telephone interview.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-referendums-donetsk-5531dbd74e48382c5dbb04d70ac7233f