As Vladimir Putin’s Russian war in Ukraine rages on, Russian election representatives say balloting in next year’s presidential election will be conducted in four partially occupied Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed in last year following its invasion February 24th, 2022.

Russia’s Central Election Commission adopted the decree to proceed with the vote in the Russian-controlled parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Balloting will also take place in the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Ukraine has condemned Russia’s intentions with this coming election and seeks international sanctions for those involved.

The Russian leader has announced his candidacy for the March election and is all but certain to win another six-year term.