Ukraine attacks border region on eve of election, says Russia
Ukraine fired at least eight missiles at Russia’s Belgorod border region, killing one person and wounding six, local officials have said, as Kyiv’s forces kept up efforts to rattle the Kremlin on the eve of Russia’s presidential election.
Also, in Russia’s Kursk border region, Ukrainian forces attempted a cross-border raid that was repelled, according to local authorities.
It was not possible to independently verify the Russian claims.
The Ukrainian assaults on Russian territory in recent days, including long-range drone attacks and alleged incursions by Ukraine-based Russian proxies, have come as Russian president Vladimir Putin heads for near-certain re-election.
Mr Putin has sought to persuade Russians to keep him in power against a backdrop of what he says are foreign threats to the country and as the Ukraine war stretches into its third year.
Inavideoreleased yesterday, Mr Putin called on Russians to go to the polls, calling participation in the election a “manifestation of patriotic feeling”.
Claiming that “the only source of power in our country is the people”, Mr Putin told Russians, “you must not only cast your vote, but firmly declare your will and aspirations, your personal involvement in the further development of Russia”.
“Elections are a step into the future,” Mr Putin said.
Since coming to power almost 25 years ago, Mr Putin has eliminated nearly all independent media and opposition voices in Russia, particularly after the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine that initially went badly wrong.
Analysts say the Kremlin is worried about low turnout during the three days of voting and needs Russians to participate to give legitimacy to Mr Putin during another six-year term.
Russia’s exiled opposition are calling on Russians to protest against the election by gathering at polling stations at noon on Sunday in a signal that they do not support Mr Putin.
The event has been dubbed “Noon against Putin” and is being supported by Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader who died in a remote Arctic penal colony last month.
Despite Russia’s early difficulties in the war, when its assault on Kyiv failed and western countries came to Ukraine’saidbysendingweapons and training troops, the Kremlin’s forces now have battlefield initiative, military analysts say.
This is largely because western aid has petered out due to European shortages and is now being held up in the United States by political differences.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Russian forces “have the theatre-wide initiative and will be able to determine the time, location, and scale of offensive operations” on the battlefield for the moment.
Russia has significantly expanded its own weapons production and is receiving ammunition from Iran and North Korea.
You must not only cast your vote, but firmly declare your will and aspirations… to Russia Vladimir Putin