Vladimir Putin stages four fake referendums in occupied Ukraine

to be a moment of victory and celebration, a repeat of the annexation of Crimea but on a far larger scale. The “referendums” held in the Russian-speaking south and eastern parts of Ukraine were meant to mark the success of Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation”. In the newly conquered territories locals were supposed to be shedding tears of gratitude for their liberation from Ukrainian “fascists” and throwing flowers. At home in Russia, Mr Putin’s subjects were supposed to be cheering the tsar, thanking him for gathering in Russia’s historic lands and making them feel proud—as many genuinely did in 2014 when he brought Crimea back into the fold. By now Ukraine’s army was supposed to have disintegrated, its government to have collapsed and its president to be in exile. Europe, dependent on Russian energy, was supposed to have bowed to the inevitable, as it had done several times during his 22-year long presidency. All this in time for Mr Putin’s 70th birthday on October 7th.