Russian occupation authorities remain unlikely to successfully conduct sham referenda to annex Ukrainian territory into the Russian Federation by early September, despite reports of advancing preparations for referenda, due to continued frictions within occupation administrations and ongoing partisan attacks, ISW states in the latest report.
They are struggling to find people to head administrative units in charge of referendum preparations, likely due to a lack of willing locals and low levels of trust in Ukrainian collaborators. Ukrainian resistance and increasing partisan attacks are inhibiting preparations for the referendum. This prevents Russia from gaining a veneer of local support for annexation that it seeks and delay the effort.
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