MFA of Ukraine: 'Elections' in occupied territories are illegal
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued an official statement regarding the holding of so-called "elections" in the temporarily occupied territories of our state. Ukrainian diplomats emphasize that any voting that Russia attempts to organize on captured lands is a gross violation of international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine.
The ministry stressed that holding such events on the territory of Ukraine is illegal. This applies to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Crimea, and parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Ukraine calls on the international community not to recognize the results of these "elections" and to increase pressure on the aggressor country.
According to the MFA statement, organizing voting in the occupied territories calls into question the legitimacy of the entire composition of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. This means that Ukraine's international partners have grounds to consider the Russian parliament as one that does not meet democratic standards due to the illegal methods used to form its composition.
Ukraine has already appealed to its partners and international organizations with a call to condemn these actions by Russia. It is expected that the global community will support Kyiv's position and impose new sanctions against individuals involved in organizing the illegal electoral process on occupied Ukrainian lands.
Currently, the situation remains tense, and the Ukrainian authorities continue to remind everyone that no actions by the occupiers will change the legal status of these territories. Ukraine remains committed to restoring its territorial integrity and protecting the rights of its citizens who are forced to live under occupation.