The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued a strong statement regarding Russia’s organization of so-called ‘elections’ in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. The Ukrainian foreign policy agency emphasized that such actions violate international law and are completely illegal, and the results of these pseudo-votes have no legal force whatsoever.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Foreign Ministry’s Position on Russia’s Pseudo-Elections
The statement from the Foreign Ministry stresses that individuals who are supposedly ‘elected’ during these fake elections will not receive legitimate authority and will have no grounds to perform any duties. Ukrainian diplomats are convinced that Ukraine’s partners and allies will not recognize the results of the illegal elections, will not engage with representatives of the occupation administration, and will not take any actions that could undermine the policy of non-recognition of Russian occupation.
“Any bodies, their officials and employees in the temporarily occupied territory, as well as all their activities, are considered illegal if they are created, elected, or appointed in a manner not provided for by Ukrainian legislation… Staged elections on stolen land will not help Russia legitimize its occupation – stolen property must be returned,” the statement reads.
International Reaction and Condemnation
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry emphasizes that the international community, including the majority of countries worldwide, the United Nations, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, does not recognize and condemns Russia’s holding of elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine from 2014 to the present.
As part of the so-called ‘single voting day’ from September 12 to 14, 2025, elections of various levels were held in 81 regions of the Russian Federation, including in Sevastopol, which is located in the occupied territory of Crimea. At the same time, Ukraine and its international partners remain steadfast in their non-recognition of the legitimacy of these processes and continue to insist on the necessity of restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity.