The head of the administration of the Zaporozhye Region, Yevgeny Balitsky,  signed a decree, on Saturday, announcing the start of preparations for a referendum on joining Russia and the creation of an election commission. 

"At the initiative of residents of the Zaporozhye Region, a referendum on the issue of our region joining Russia will be held in autumn. Currently, we are carrying out preparatory work... I have signed a decree on the establishment of an election commission of the Zaporozhye Region to ensure transparency and legitimacy of the referendum procedure and to protect the electoral rights of citizens," Balitsky said in a statement published on the administration's Telegram channel. 

A special commission for conducting elections and a referendum was also declared by the Kherson Region government later in the day. The seven members of the body will each serve a three-year term.

"According to the international practice, we will establish this [future path] through holding elections and referendums," the administration said in a statement. Local officials emphasized that the Kherson Region, which is now governed by the Russian military, has every right to determine its own future.

Earlier, on July 14, the head of the Zaporozhye interim administration said a referendum on the region's accession to Russia will take place in the fall.

Zaporozhye Military and Civil Administration chief Yevgeny Palitsky said more than 60% of the region's population see themselves as independent from Ukraine and an entity that will be part of Russia in the future.

"Despite the lies emanating from the Ukrainian and foreign channels, we see the truth, we talk to the people, and we know the path on which we want to embark," Palitsky added.

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