Russians offer up to RUB 50,000 to ‘referendum’ agitators in Melitopol

In the temporarily captured town of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region, the self-proclaimed authorities prepare to hold a fake referendum and offer agitators up to RUB 50,000 (about $803) but people refuse.

"As for the pseudo-referendum, there are big problems now in the territory of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region. The occupiers have problems because they cannot hold it. After the first survey, it turned out that less than 10% of locals support Russia. Moreover, no one wants to work for the occupiers even for money. They offer from RUB 20,000 to 50,000, which is about UAH 25,000," Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov said during the nationwide news telethon.

According to the mayor, this "reward" is not worth the punishment provided for cooperation with collaborators. Pursuant to Ukrainian legislation, the collaboration is punished with imprisonment of 10 to 12 years and confiscation of property.

Fedorov also reminded that Oleg Shostak, one of the heads of the United Russia election headquarters, was injured in partisans' actions yesterday. Earlier, the headquarters and the premises of the fake service center of the "interior ministry" were blown up.

As reported, collaborators plan to hold a pseudo-referendum in Melitopol on September 11.

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