The active position of Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories could thwart the "referendum" and all the plans of the Russian invaders to create a "Kherson Peopleʼs Republic".
This was stated by the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Vadym Skybytsky.
"Putin needs to demonstrate his success by May 9. He will do everything he can to hold a "referendum" by any means and say that the "people of Kherson oblast" have proclaimed a "Kherson Peopleʼs Republic" and want to join Russia. This will be presented as one of the victories of the Russian occupation forces on the territory of Ukraine. The next steps can be Zaporizhzhia, Odesa. This is Putinʼs strategy, which he is trying to implement on the territory of the independent states of the former Soviet Union," Skybytsky said.
According to him, the tactics of the occupying country in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are to establish strict control over the territory with the help of law enforcement agencies and appoint puppets to positions in local authorities who will follow all the Kremlinʼs instructions. However, the "referendum" and all the occupiersʼ plans to create the so-called "Kherson Peopleʼs Republic" may be thwarted by oppression and the active position of Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories.