“The Russian leadership has instructed officials to start holding referendums in these areas and also in parts of Kharkiv,” he said. “We have information that officials are reviewing candidates to serve as administrators of these areas. And that this could already happen in the coming weeks.”
He further said: “We expect that Russia will manipulate the results of these referendums to falsely claim that the Ukrainian people want to join Russia. It will be crucial to expose and counter this disinformation when the Kremlin claims that the Ukrainian people want to join Russia.”