Russia is preparing sham elections to the State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine
Russia is preparing to hold illegal “elections” to the State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Voting is scheduled for September 18–20, 2026.
This concerns the temporarily occupied parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Russia is illegally including these territories in its electoral process. According to the Ukrainian side, in June 2026, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation adopted a decision to organize “elections” there.
In the occupied territories, the aggressor has also illegally established 11 single-member electoral districts.
The Sociological Association of Ukraine emphasizes that holding Russian “elections” in the occupied territories is one of the key tools for legitimizing the occupying authorities.
In this way, Russia is attempting to create the appearance of extending its own jurisdiction and political system to the seized Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine, most countries around the world, and international organizations—including the UN and the OSCE—do not recognize the legitimacy of such “elections.”
Ukraine’s Central Election Commission has also emphasized that the results of the Russian vote in the temporarily occupied territories will have no legal force.
The SAU Board has appealed to Ukrainian and international polling centers, groups, and companies, urging them to refrain from participating in activities related to the Russian election campaign in the occupied territories.
In particular, sociologists are urged not to conduct or report on polls, exit polls, or the progress and results of the illegal “elections.”
At the same time, the SAU emphasized the need to distinguish between the coerced behavior of civilians under occupation and voluntary activities aimed at organizing or publicly legitimizing illegal voting.
The Sociological Association of Ukraine noted that Ukrainian law provides for criminal liability for voluntary participation in the organization and conduct of illegal elections and referendums in the temporarily occupied territories, as well as for public calls to hold them.
The relevant provision is set forth in Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Thus, the Ukrainian side and the international community view the vote for the Russian State Duma scheduled for September 18–20 in the occupied territories of Ukraine as an illegal attempt by Russia to consolidate its occupation and impose its own political system on the seized territories.
This was stated by the Board of the Sociological Association of Ukraine (SAU).
Through its Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia has launched a new propaganda campaign to create the illusion of legitimacy for the September “elections” to the State Duma. The SVR’s statement claims that the EU, PACE, and Western intelligence agencies are allegedly preparing destabilization efforts, cyberattacks, and provocations, as well as enlisting the Russian opposition to discredit the vote.
Earlier, the Center for Political Analysis explained why Putin is terrorizing Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Earlier, Russia attacked a facility in Novhorod-Siverskyi.
As a reminder, one person was killed and eight were wounded in a massive attack on the Kyiv region.
Russia also launched a massive missile attack on Kyiv overnight, resulting in fatalities.
