This referendum on secession for the region of Kherson in southern Ukraine from the country of Ukraine to create this "Kherson's people's republic" is emblematic of this Alice in Wonderland world that Russia has been living in over the past two months with their invasion of Ukraine; Russia totally ignores international norms and fundamental principles here. First, the territory of Kherson is still militarily contested, just five to six days ago the Ukrainian army bombed a Russian command center in Kherson killing two Russian Generals and wounding a third. It has been less than six weeks since Russian forces have really been in control of the city not really enough time for Kherson residents to recover from the Russian fighters widespread looting when they initially came into the city and the other traumas suffered from being invaded by a foreign army. The public demonstration of the public will from the citizens of Kherson on the issue of being Ukrainians has been clearly against the Russian occupation of their city there have been protests in the Kherson public square against Russian occupation which Russia has suppressed through the utilization of live gunfire. If a referendum is to have any legal validity it has to be driven by the citizens of the community that is holding the referendum this is clearly being driven by the outside government of Russia, the locals aren't even sure when the referendum is being held; and, the Mayor of the City says the referendum is illegal. Further, for a referendum to be legal the residents of the territory holding the referendum have to be told the meaning of the referendum. The residents aren't sure if the referendum means their sons can be drafted into the Russian army or the Donbas separatist forces; why would Kherson's families want their sons to fight their cousins in the Ukrainian army they consider beloved family members. Further, lets say for arguments sake the residents of Kherson support a referendum to secede from Ukraine that does not mean they want to join a sovereign territory with the separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk the authorities in that area being murderous, kidnapping thugs considering how they gained and held power in their areas not to mention their chin deep culpability in the unjust killing of twenty-thousand Ukrainians in Mariupol since the invasion began. Plus for any referendum to be considered legitimate authorities running the referendum have to give a fair opportunity for debate and a fair opportunity to vote and insure the vote is fairly counted; none is being provided here. This Kherson referendum is an appalling affront to modern civilization just like this Putin's war to conquer Ukraine!
