Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a statement condemning Russia’s holding of illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine — in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as well as in Crimea and Sevastopol.
In addition, Warsaw condemned the organisation of voting in Transnistria, South Ossetia and Abkhazia without the consent of the official authorities of Moldova and Georgia.
The Polish ministry stressed that these “electoral processes” were held illegally and violate all norms of international law and democracy. Poland’s Foreign Ministry recalled the UN General Assembly resolution of October 2022, in which 143 countries condemned attempts at annexation and fake referendums.
Russia’s actions are a direct violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and run counter to the Geneva Convention, Poland’s Foreign Ministry stressed. No sham elections have any legal force and they cannot legitimise attempts to annex seized lands.
Poland called on Russia to respect international law, cease its unlawful actions and fully withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine.
- The Verkhovna Rada adopted an appeal to the international community regarding the holding of sham elections to Russia’s State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
- In 2023, the Russians had already held sham elections in the TOT to regional authorities. At the time, representatives of the occupation administrations likewise included local residents in “election commissions” and campaigning teams.
- The Security Service of Ukraine stressed that such measures are illegal, and that participation in organising them carries criminal liability.
- Intelligence also warned of possible terrorist attacks and urged residents of the TOT, between 17 and 21 September, to avoid places where large numbers of people gather, “polling stations”, administrative buildings involved in the voting, as well as the occupiers’ military facilities.
- Meanwhile, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said that the EU will not recognise the “elections” in South Ossetia occupied by Russia. A European Commission spokesperson added that the same applies to Ukraine.