Sham or not? The ‘join Russia’ vote in four Ukraine areas, explained

"Russian-backed officials in four occupied regions of Ukraine have been holding referendums on whether the areas want to join Russia. The West and Ukraine has denounced the referendums as illegitimate and sham. The voting started on Friday and will continue for five days in two regions in Ukraine's east and two in the south- Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia."

https://www.hindustantimes.com/worl...-ukraine-areas-explained-101664011598743.html

"The voting would allow Russia to control the occupied areas allowing Moscow to make the ongoing Ukraine counteroffensive as an attack on Russia, something seen in 2014 in Crimea as well."

Fair enough. If any Russian court finds conclusive evidence of widespread fraud then that may be a different matter but, failing that.