The Russian invaders continue their attempts to force Ukrainians to participate in the so-called "voting" for the president of Russia on the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine has said.

"On the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, representatives of the Russian occupation authorities, accompanied by armed military personnel and Russian FSB [Federal Security Service] officers, come to Ukrainian citizens' homes to explain them 'whom they should vote for'. The occupiers also say they can 'draw' more than 200% in favor of their dictator and the results of the 'Putin election' will be unchanged," it said on the Telegram channel on Saturday.

At the same time, the occupiers make it clear to the enslaved locals that their refusal to vote for Putin will be taken as a demonstration of their anti-Russian position.

At the beginning of March, the invaders organized filtration operations on the occupied territory of Kherson region during which "unreliable" Ukrainians were detained. The main criterion for detention was the absence of the Russian passport. The Main Intelligence Directorate explained such actions by the occupiers' fear of Ukrainians who are "disloyal" to the occupation authorities and, in the enemy's opinion, can destabilize the situation during the "elections."

"Ukrainian entrepreneurs and teachers on the enslaved land are subject to the 'election' farse pressure. The occupiers threaten the first to deprive them of the right to entrepreneurship in case they refuse to 'support' Putin. The latter are being intimidated by dismissal. The Kremlin agents have a different 'agitational approach' to the retirees on the temporarily occupied territories – attempts are made to force them to 'vote' through bribery and lies about 'a better life' and 'social benefits'," it said.

The Main Intelligence Directorate emphasized that residents of the occupied territories do not want to participate in the illegal legitimization of Putin's rule, despite pressure and repression from the invaders.

"Most people offer mute resistance to the occupiers, locking themselves in their homes and trying in every possible way to obstruct representatives of the so-called 'mobile polling stations'," it said.