Nicolas Tenzer recalls that there is “no free expression in the regions controlled by the Russians” and that “these polls are totally illegal and make no sense.”
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“This type of announcement is not a surprise”reacted this Tuesday on franceinfo Nicolas Tenzer, teacher at Sciences Po, specialist in international issues, while the authorities installed by Moscow in four regions of Ukraine announced on Tuesday the holding in the emergency of “referendums” of annexation by Russia, in the midst of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. These polls are a means of legitimizing the conflict in the eyes of Russian opinion, explains the specialist.
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franceinfo: Are these referendum announcements a turning point in the conflict?
Nicholas Tenzer: It is in any case not a surprise, insofar as this type of referendum had already been announced. They were subsequently postponed… Remember: these elections are totally illegal and make no sense. The regions concerned are largely occupied, sometimes at war, people cannot vote. In any case, there is no free expression in the regions controlled by the Russians.
Should we see more in this the beginnings of more brutal action by Moscow in Ukraine?
What we see today is first of all an obvious setback on the strictly military level of the Russian army. On the other hand, we know very well that the bombardments will accelerate, in particular on the zones under the legitimate control of Ukraine. There is therefore a desire for legitimization. This will of course not take in the eyes of the international community. This exclusively serves the internal propaganda of the Russian regime. This helps to justify the attack by explaining that these territories are supposedly Russian. Of course, it’s just about anything.
Does the Russian regime present the Ukrainian counter-offensive as an “attack”?
It is indeed instrumentalized like that. Above all with the idea that it is NATO and the European Union that are in charge. The Russian regime does not allow the Ukrainian army, considered as that of a small country, to achieve victories. So they are forced to say that it is the Westerners who are the aggressors. This is obviously a factor in legitimizing and escalating the conflict.