Ukrainian Parliament urges world not to recognise sham elections in Russian-occupied territories

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has approved an appeal to the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organisations and their parliamentary assemblies regarding Russia's intentions to hold  "elections" in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts, slated for 10 September.

Source: Yaroslav Zhelezniak, member of the Holos political party on Telegram; Interfax-Ukraine news agency

Details: 287 MPs voted "for" draft resolution No. 9581.

The document notes that "another attempt by Russia to justify an illegal attempt to annex temporarily occupied parts of the territory of Ukraine indicates its unwillingness to end the armed aggression against our state and its intention to continue the aggressive neo-colonial policy towards neighbouring countries."

The Verkhovna Rada is to turn to the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organisations and their parliamentary assemblies not to recognise the legitimacy of any "elections" in the temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine – or the structures that organise such elections.

At the same time, Ukrainian parliamentarians consider it necessary to call on the international community not to recognise the legitimacy of any legislative body of the Russian Federation elected in the temporarily occupied parts of the territory of Ukraine. The MPs also want to warn the international society not to recognise the "elected" bodies, which, as a result of such illegal elections, will include representatives of the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, and not to allow the participation of delegations of such Russian authorities in the work of international organisations.

The document also calls on the world to recognise that the illegal actions of the Russian Federation once again confirm the impossibility of holding peace talks until the Russian occupation forces leave from the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine in its entirety.

In addition, the Verkhovna Rada suggests calling on international monitoring structures to ignore possible requests from Russia to send observers to the "elections" of local authorities in the temporarily occupied parts of the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts.

Note: The so-called "single voting day" will be held in Russia on 10 September 2023. On the same day, the Russians plan to hold sham elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

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