Ukrainian elections during war: just another trap set by Putin for Trump

From the To Be Or blog, Dec 19, 2025:

""Between 5 and 10 million Ukrainian citizens with the right to vote live in Russia, and if elections are held, we have the right to demand that they be granted the right to vote in the Russian Federation," Putin said. 

Firstly, you have no right to demand anything.  

Secondly, naturally, there are no 5-10 million Ukrainian citizens in Russia.  

According to the 2021 census, 884,000 Ukrainians lived in Russia.  

Also, after the Russian invasion, 1.97 million Ukrainians (including 19,500 deported children) left or were deported from Russia, but calculating the actual number is very difficult because many left through Russia in transit, and many were forcibly Russified. 

Putin is also obviously referring to Ukrainians living in the occupied territories, who by hook or by crook hold on to their Ukrainian passports, and who were forced at gunpoint to vote in the "referendums" of the fall of 2022.  

Therefore, if they want to fabricate 5-10 million ballots, it won't be difficult for them.  

Naturally, voting on enemy territory is as legally nonsensical as "referendums" in territories Putin hasn't yet seized.  

But the question here is how good Trump will think this is. Ukraine and Europe will have the added headache of explaining to the American president why this is impossible. 

This is simply another manipulation to complicate the elections and thereby pit Trump against Zelensky again or create preconditions for their own non-recognition. 

A manipulation that would not have been possible in principle if the White House hadn't fallen for it.  

P.S. Putin also added that he is ready to cease long-range strikes on election day, but this will absolutely not allow the elections to be held, since troops on the front lines won't be able to vote. Only a complete ceasefire for the ENTIRE election campaign."