Russian elections in the occupied territories have no legal validity, says the Foreign Ministry
Russia is holding so-called “elections” to the State Duma on September 18–20 in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that these actions are illegal and do not create any legal basis for extending Russian jurisdiction over Ukrainian territories.
“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 basis for extending Russia’s jurisdiction over any part of Ukraine’s territory,” the foreign ministry stated.
The ministry emphasized that Russia’s holding of elections in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories does not alter their internationally recognized status.
The Foreign Ministry noted that since 2014, the international community has repeatedly reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.
In particular, on October 12, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution ES-11/4, which was supported by 143 states. The document condemned Russia’s attempt to illegally annex the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions and called on states and international organizations not to recognize any changes to their status.
The UN also emphasized that the so-called Russian “elections” in the occupied territories have no legal basis. In 2023, a representative of the UN Secretary-General stated that such electoral processes cannot be a legitimate means of changing the status of Ukrainian territories.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Ukraine does not recognize either the holding of these “elections” or their results.
“Ukraine does not recognize either the holding of these illegal ‘elections’ or their null and void results. We call on foreign states, international organizations, and other subjects of international law to likewise not recognize these actions by Russia and not to regard them as an expression of the legitimate political will of the people in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. We caution against any participation in this unlawful act, which will have legal consequences in national and international jurisdictions,” the statement reads.
The ministry emphasized that temporary occupation does not confer sovereign rights over the seized territories on the occupying state.
Separately, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that the inclusion in the State Duma of representatives elected in the occupied territories of Ukraine further calls into question the legitimacy of the entire Russian parliament.
The Foreign Ministry also criticized the conditions under which elections are held in Russia itself.
“Any ‘elections’ in modern Russia are nothing but a farce. After more than a quarter-century of Putin’s rule, this country lacks democracy, freedom of speech, political party pluralism, and any respect for basic civil liberties. We call on the international community to call a spade a spade: the so-called ‘elections’ to the State Duma of the Russian Federation are merely a charade designed to create the illusion of public support for the aggressive policies of the regime in Moscow,” the ministry emphasized.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community not to recognize the results of the Russian vote in the temporarily occupied territories and not to regard it as a legitimate expression of the will of the population of these regions.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued this statement in connection with Russia’s State Duma elections.
A three-day voting period for the State Duma elections began in Russia on September 18. It will last until September 20. At the same time, even before the main voting began, independent Russian media and representatives of opposition forces reported pressure on observers, coercion of public sector employees, and possible violations during the organization of the vote.
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.
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. A statement from the SVR claims that the EU, PACE, and Western intelligence agencies are allegedly preparing acts of destabilization, cyberattacks, and provocations, as well as enlisting the Russian opposition to discredit the vote.
