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A transparent ballot box used during the referendum.
@Nice4What: Please take a look at WP:ONUS and stop edit warring ! The picture is unsourced in the sense that there is no RS confirming that the picture shows what it pretends to show. Normally that should be no problem, but since Russian propaganda is very active, we have to be extra careful here. Also: In all probability, the referendum was rigged. A transparent ballot box is a very bad symbol for an intransparent referendum. Rsk6400 (talk) 16:42, 30 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
No opinion on the picture. But I just want to point out "normally that should be no problem, but since Russian propaganda is very active, we have to be extra careful here" is just an opinion of yours, and a rather politically biased one at that. There is no policy of requiring extra scrutiny for images that you believe cast Russia in a "good light", anymore than there is for images taken in Ukraine or the US.Masebrock (talk) 23:59, 30 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Russian propaganda activities and their extend are well documented by RS, this is not a question of bias or personal opinion. Rsk6400 (talk) 06:27, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
To be clear, the part that is merely your politically biased opinion is "we have to be extra careful here". As if Russia was the only country that has propaganda...Masebrock (talk) 07:30, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
No need for a needlesearch. Russia occupied Crimea and organized an illegal and falsified referendum. And this image is not a correct representation of it. ManyAreasExpert (talk) 07:47, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
OK, similar pictures published by RS are surely sufficient for solving my doubts about the sourcing. But, there still are WP:DUE and MOS:IMAGEREL. Images must be significant and relevant in the topic's context, not primarily decorative. They are often an important illustrative aid to understanding. An image of a transparent ballot box gives our readers the idea of a fair vote conducted according to the law. So, images of Russian soldiers without insignia would surely be more due. Rsk6400 (talk) 06:38, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
A transparent ballot box makes NO indication that the vote was fair, that is your own interpretation. I would be ok with removing the word "transparent" from the caption if that's your concern. The image is not decorative, it is a picture (that we can fortunately use due to its license) that shows the event in question. If you have a free image of Russian soldiers during the referendum, I agree that would also be great to include. For now, I believe the image should be included and it could be at the top; other subsection in the article already have several photos/maps, and I fail to understand the resistance to including any photo in the lead - how would this lend any legitimacy to the referendum?? Nice4What (talk · contribs) – (Thanks♥) 16:23, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
This is a pretty common sight on a pretty common and legitimate referendum and this is the message a reader can get from seeing it, which isn't what was happening there in 2014. A better image for the lead would be a ballot with the translation of the questions, where everybody can se there is no option to vote for a current status quo. ManyAreasExpert (talk) 16:32, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
It is standard in Russian elections, but I do not think most people consider them to be free or fair. I am also guessing you are referring to this kind of image, although I am not sure how useful this would be for English readers. I am not sure if there is one with a translation. Mellk (talk) 16:51, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Questions text in English is available in many RSs, the image description can provide either it or RSs comments regarding unavailability to keep the status quo. ManyAreasExpert (talk) 16:56, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
A polling station for the status referendum (top); masked Russian soldiersoccupying Crimea during the status referendum (bottom).
I want to compromise and have found a free video and took two screenshots to show both the voting process and Russian soldiers on patrol. I believe these images could be included together in the lead to show no doubt on the illegitimacy of the referendum. Thoughts? This would not be decorative as these images show both how voting procedures underwent, and demonstrates the military occupation during the so-called referendum. Nice4What (talk · contribs) – (Thanks♥) 17:05, 31 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
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