Russian Presidential Elections to Include Newly Annexed Territories

The Russian news agency "Interfax" reported today, Monday, that the Central Election Commission stated that Russia will hold presidential elections in the four regions it annexed from Ukraine. Last year, Russia announced the annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, despite not controlling all of their territories. Moscow has imposed martial law in the four regions under its control. President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Friday to Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine that he would run again in the presidential elections scheduled for March 2024.