Written by Miriam Kupfer
March 24, 2024 17:00, updated March 24, 2024 17:49
As President Vladimir Putin sought to extend his control over Russia with a fake presidential election, resistance forces within occupied Ukraine caused chaos among Russians.
Throughout the occupied south and east, so-called “digital partisans” combined on-the-ground bravery with digital technology to confuse and confuse Russians at every opportunity.
Fake websites are used to sow discord in 'election' processes, activists spread leaflets deep in occupied territory urging people not to vote, and deepfake videos cause discord between rival local authorities used for.
Russian military personnel in the occupied territories have even been tricked into passing personal information directly to resistance forces on fake websites.
Soldiers sent to the territory by Moscow had the right to vote, but only for themselves. A series of resistance groups launched a multifaceted campaign to exploit this fact.
First, a group created a fake website called “Military Only” that allowed soldiers to register to vote online by entering their name, military ID, passport, and other details.
We then distributed flyers with a QR code to access the website.
Through sources within the Russian military, they even obtained the personal numbers of Russian soldiers and sent them fake direct messages that appeared to be from the military-political chief of the Russian military.
“Members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed to areas of special military operations must participate in remote electronic voting for the presidential elections of the Russian Federation from March 15 to 17, 2024.” Voting is open until March 17. is possible at any time. Please register using the link.''
That was a victory. Soldiers were forced to submit personal data when registering, which also prevented people who visited the site from voting under the assumption that they had cast their vote online and did not need to be present in person.
And naturally, the voting process for the soldiers fell into complete chaos.
Activists knew that their actions would not always change the predetermined outcome of the vote. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin won with 88% of the vote, the highest percentage of votes in a presidential election in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
But these elections were never about democracy, and they never pretended democracy existed. They existed for one reason only: to show off the Kremlin's dependence on fear and enjoyment of control, especially to those it conquered.
The operation began in mid-February, with the opening of telegram channels imitating the “electoral commissions” of each region of the occupied territories. They ended up attracting more members than the real ones.
Another leaflet campaign was based on a simple slogan: “We are in this together.” Please don't vote. It is based on the simple fact that the right not to vote is enshrined in the Russian Constitution.
Clicking on the QR code on the flyer led directly to the relevant page on the Russian state news agency TASS website, which showed which laws Putin's military operation violates.
In the occupied territories, all institutions, from local authorities to the military to social services, have Telegram channels that broadcast matters relevant to their members and supporters.
The Telegram was an important source of information about fake elections, and the Resistance was determined to do everything possible to subvert it and disrupt the “election” process.
The Resistance created fake telegram channels for four “election commissions” in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson, in parallel for voters to reserve time slots in queues on election day. began to spread the news that it could be used, and then assured that: Many people were given the same slot, so they arrived at the same time, maximizing the chaos on the ground.
All of this worked. The Russians were so furious that they used their senior-level connections to contact website administrators and have both the fake military website and the local online voting website taken down.
Marina Zakharova, the head of the so-called election commission in the Kherson region, even created a video highlighting these duplicate Telegram channels and fake QR code flyers created to promote them.
She said the activists were trying to discredit the electoral process.
Hundreds of local channels, including municipalities in several small villages in the occupied territories, publicly explain that the Resistance has cloned their election websites and even the differences between the original and cloned Telegram channels I was forced to do that.
Many of these regional leaders seek positions in Moscow and will pay a price if the Kremlin deems them unable to properly manage elections.
The Resistance always sought to exploit divisions within the occupation authorities and focus on the worst they were bringing to Ukraine.
One particularly ominous development is the influx of criminals into Ukraine. Russia, particularly through the Wagner mercenary group, allowed the worst kinds of imprisoned people to join in exchange for amnesty if they survived six months (though they were usually not expected to live that long). Although it wasn't).
The result has been an influx of people into the Russian military serving the longest sentences for horrific violent crimes.
Now, after massacring several Ukrainians, the survivors are settling in the occupied territories.
The Resistance was able to obtain and publish the criminal records of many of these men. In one incredible display, a Crimean television was allegedly hacked to broadcast a prepared video.
“Artemy Butin, rapist, murderer… 5,000 criminals will remain here.” [in occupied Ukraine] Until the end of SMO [Special Military Operation]” said the narrator over an image of Buchin.
The video then switched to President Putin's speech. “I will not give you anything,” the voiceover continued, with President Putin saying. The point was clear. Russia is importing the worst stuff and the president doesn't care.
But perhaps most incredible of all, digital partisans have created a deepfake video of the slave governor of the occupied Zaporizhzhya region, Evgeny Balitsky.
In the video, Balitsky appears on Russia's top TV show “60 Minutes'' and asks host Olga Skabeyeva about “cheesy attempts to discredit official flyers with QR codes.'' It is said that It caused further confusion among the Russians. video 3
It all points to a single, unavoidable fact. Ukrainians continue to resist throughout the territory and provide intelligence to the resistance.
This allowed the resistance to release a series of videos detailing the failure of local Russian authorities to properly manage the territory.
Issues that deeply affect local residents, such as garbage disposal, water issues, and poor public transportation, were brought into relentless focus.
The Russians thought they would conduct a complete sham election in the occupied territories. However, they faced organized sabotage and chaos.
Instead of using this opportunity to further spread Putinist propaganda and assert their superiority, they publicly refute the resistance, destroy online activity, and deploy police to take to the streets. Searched and forced to remove fake QR code posters.
From beginning to end, all aspects of the enemy's occupation of Ukraine were targeted, weakened and destroyed. The message is clear. You may occupy us, but we will continue to resist.