Russian strike destroys Epicentr mall in Kharkiv, no injuries reported

Russian state-controlled news agency TASS reported on September 17 that Ukrainian collaborator Elena Astanina, who oversaw one of Russia's fraudulent electoral commissions in the occupied territories, was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike. Astanina, the chairperson of Precinct Electoral Commission No. 394 in the Kremlin-backed city of Tokmak, had been involved in orchestrating Russia's fake referendums in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions since 2022.

These elections, which Russia held in the occupied Ukrainian territories, were rejected by Ukraine and the majority of the international community. TASS stated that Astanina was killed on September 15 in the village of Zhovtneve, located within Russia's occupied portion of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. However, the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims and Ukraine has not commented on the alleged drone strike in Zhovtneve as of the publication date.

The act of holding elections in occupied territories is an affront to international law. This development occurs as Russia continues its preparations for parliamentary elections to the State Duma, set for September 18-20. In addition, Russia intends to conduct these elections in the Ukrainian regions it has annexed. On September 17, Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed a resolution urging foreign parliaments, governments, international organizations, and parliamentary assemblies to denounce Russia's intent to hold parliamentary elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories.