Five countries condemned Russia's holding of elections in Ukraine's occupied territories

Holding elections to the Russian State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine—specifically in Crimea, as well as in the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions—constitutes a gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence and of the UN Charter. This is stated in a joint statement by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

“These sham elections are part of a broader system of occupation: the imposition of Russian administration, legislation, media, education, language, and citizenship, backed by coercion and repression. This includes reports of enforced disappearances, detentions, and torture of thousands of Ukrainian citizens,” reads the text of the statement, released by the Canadian government’s press service.

The signatories of the statement emphasized that the occupied regions are part of Ukraine, and holding sham elections cannot change the status of these territories under international law. We continue to support Ukraine.

“We call on the international community to reject Russia’s attempts to normalize its occupation, to condemn the holding of sham elections on Ukrainian territory, to call for those involved in organizing these elections to be held accountable, to uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and to demand that Russia immediately cease its war of aggression against Ukraine and agree to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire. “Borders must never be redrawn by force,” the statement emphasizes.

A crash test for the system: Why does Russia need elections if they don’t change anything?

Putin Accuses Ukraine of Interfering in Russian Elections — NDTV.

Elections to the State Duma have begun in Russia amid reports of pressure on observers and vote rigging