At gunpoint, Ukrainians in occupied regions vote in Russia’s election

Voting in the Russian presidential election is taking place outside Russia's borders in occupied areas like Mariupol, Ukraine, as Moscow's invasion drags on into a third year [Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters]

Since February 25, women with name tags and huge stacks of papers have been knocking on every door in the Russia-occupied parts of four Ukrainian regions or approaching residents outside their apartment buildings or houses.

The documents are lists of voters, and the women and, rarely, men are election officials who usually teach in nearby schools, accept utilities payments or work as government clerks.