The Russian "elections" in the temporarily occupied territories are illegal and do not create any legal grounds for extending Russian jurisdiction to Ukrainian territories. This is stated in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine regarding the "elections" to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, reports UNN.
On September 18–20, Russia will hold so-called "elections" to the State Duma of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a farce staged by the occupying state, which has nothing in common with democratic elections and creates no legal grounds for extending Russia's jurisdiction to any part of Ukraine's territory
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that since 2014, the only legitimate voting results concerning the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine have been the results displayed on the scoreboard of the UN General Assembly, in particular when 143 UN member states confirmed the illegality of the occupation and demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from all Ukrainian territories within their internationally recognized borders.
In this context, the ministry emphasized that no "vote" organized by Russia at gunpoint changes the internationally recognized status of these territories, while temporary occupation does not give the occupying state sovereign rights.
Ukraine recognizes neither the holding of these illegal "elections" nor their null and void results. We call on foreign states, international organizations, and other subjects of international law likewise not to recognize these actions by Russia and not to regard them as an expression of the legitimate political will of people in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. We warn against any participation in this illegal spectacle, which will have legal consequences in national and international jurisdictions
The Foreign Ministry also emphasized that the inclusion in the Russian parliament of representatives elected in illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and other states further deprives the entire composition of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of legitimacy.
"Any "elections" in modern Russia are merely a farce. After more than a quarter of a century of Putin's rule, democracy, freedom of speech, pluralism of political parties, and any respect for basic civil liberties are absent in this country. We call on the international community to call things by their proper names: the so-called "elections" to the Russian State Duma are merely a performance designed to create the illusion that the population supports the aggressive policy of the regime in Moscow," the ministry emphasized.
Elections to the State Duma have begun in Russia amid reports of violations18.09.26, 11:31