From September 8 to 10, the Russian authorities are preparing to hold so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, these elections are illegitimate, their results will not have any legal consequences and cannot be recognized by the international community.
The ministry noted that the so-called Russian elections in the occupied territories are the same farce as pseudo-referendums and their goal is not to express the will of citizens, but to force the occupied population to "ceremonies" to legitimize the occupation. Thus, the formation of any Russian authorities in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, in particular through fake elections, is legally untenable. Plans for elections on in the occupied territories, armed aggression and forced passportization of the population are a violation not only of Ukrainian legislation, but also of the principles of international law.
The Parliament of Ukraine appealed to the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organizations regarding the intentions of the Russian Federation to hold illegal elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions: "Forcibly, by intimidation and blackmail, the Russian occupation administration attracts citizens of Ukraine – residents of these territories – to participate in the elections, including through illegal passportization and replacement Ukrainian identification documents for their Russian counterparts". Ukrainian parliamentarians stressed that the plans of the Russian occupiers to hold illegal local elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine on September 10, 2023 indicate that the electoral system of the Russian Federation has finally discredited itself and cannot be considered as ensuring the implementation of democratic norms.
Participation in the preparation and conduct of fake elections and their propaganda coverage, running for deputies is a criminal offense. Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine have identified more than 3.5 thousand organizers and participants of Russian pseudo-elections in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and call on Ukrainian citizens who are in the temporarily occupied part of our state, if possible, to avoid even passive participation in a fake plebiscite as a voter. Law enforcement officers warn that for forced participation in fake There is no criminal liability for elections. The Russian political leadership and all those involved in organizing and participating in these so-called elections will be held accountable for the consequences of their illegal actions.
Russia's propaganda farce with sham elections will have no long-term prospects. The occupied territories will be liberated, the invaders will be expelled, and the collaborators will be held accountable for their actions before the court. This has already happened in the previously liberated territories.
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