“A situation like that is possible and Ukrainian authorities are preparing society for that scenario,” he says. “Notably, Central Election Committee Head Mykhailo Okhendosvkyi spoke about this scenario almost at the same time as [current Interior Minister Arsen] Avakov. It could happen so that some cities in some regions will not participate in the presidential election while their residents will vote elsewhere,” Karasiov says.
He suggests that voter turnout will be fairly low in Eastern Ukraine overall. “We should be prepared to see low turnout in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv. Still, the Central Election Committee will recognize that election,” he notes.
“I think the West will understand Ukraine’s circumstances. The international community realizes how important the election is in stabilizing the situation in the country,” Karasiov adds.
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“Russian will not recognize the election. It will not consider the president representing the entire Ukraine legitimate. Meanwhile, new authorities and representative bodies may be formed in the regions where the election does not take place,” Karasiov suggests.
Viktor Nebozhenko, head of the Ukrainian Barometer social service, claims that Ukraine is currently in the group of destabilized states. In his comment on Arsen Avakov’s statement of April 29 [that presidential election may fail to take place in all regions of Ukraine – Ed.], he said that similar statements are made by law enforcers in “Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan”.
“And elections are recognized legitimate in those countries. We find ourselves in the category of destabilized countries where the government still retains control on most of the territory. Afghanistan has just had an election despite the fact that almost half of its territory is controlled by the Taliban,” Nebozhenko says.
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“This [presidential election on part of a country’s territory – Ed.] is not falsification. We will have around 1,000 OSCE observers. And we will have the old story repeating: Putin’s observers will claim that the election has not taken place, while OSCE observers will say that it has. The main thing though is for the Central Election Committee to recognize it as such that has taken place,” Nebozhenko says.
Earlier, Mykhailo Okhendovsky, Head of the Central Election Committee, said that the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine will be among the most difficult ones in the country’s history.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov stated that the presidential election scheduled for May 25 may not take place in some regions of Ukraine. The candidate list includes 23 people. Kyivites will elect their mayor and city council deputies on May 25 as well.
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