
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Russia has announced a referendum in the Kherson region on the creation of a third new independent territory, The Kherson People&#8217;s Republic, similar to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Let’s see… How do Russian elections usually turn out? Since all of the Catholic Ukrainian speakers have been shipped out, and mostly Russian speakers remain, even an un-rigged election would likely support independence. But in usual Putin fashion, I’m guessing that 95% will be in favor.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The area in question is the region just to the north of Crimea, and to the west of the other newly independent territories. Its independence will ensure a land bridge to Crimea, something that Putin needs to ensure that oil pipelines and logistical routes to Crimea will not be under threat of NATO intervention. Russia’s best navy base is in Sevastopol, which is at the southern end of Crimea.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We predicted earlier that Putin would not quit until he had this land bridge completed. I had earlier thought that he would negotiate a treaty with Ukraine to ensure this access and the ability of Russia to place soldiers there to guarantee access. But at that point, we had already seen Zelenskyy tacitly surrender and thought that negotiations would take over.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We do not know what has gone on behind the scenes, but one way or another, Putin was never going to stop until the land bridge to Crimea was complete. Russia already controls this territory militarily, an d you can bet that his propaganda has been influencing the region since well before the war started.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Recall that at one point, Ukraine cut off water flowing to Crimea from the Dnieper River. The threat to the navy base Sevastopol was real. The new Kherson territory will likely encompass all of the area between the DPR and the Dnieper river. All logistical supply lines will be securable with this move, a substantial weak point removed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Russian media is already referring to this area as independent, although mainstream media in the U.S. has ignored this development. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also note that all three newly independent territories have voted in favor of independence. We remarked earlier on the strangely gentle approach to the invasion, the electricity, water, phones and internet were all still working, and civilians were being treated with kid gloves (relatively speaking, this is still a war zone). And with the heavy propaganda campaigns, the people in the area have reason to believe that the Russians may be the good guys, and that Ukrainians are all Nazi&#8217;s.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Personally, I would not want to be under the thumb of a tyrant like Putin.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://punchingbagpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/kpr-1024x487.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-21292"/></figure>