Ukraine Condemns Russian Election in Occupied Regions

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry declared that upcoming Russian elections in occupied Ukrainian territories are illegal and will be considered invalid. Despite Russia's annexation claims and international observer presence, the ministry asserts the elections' illegitimacy. Pro-Kremlin parties are expected to maintain control, despite opposition parties facing exclusion.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of next month's Russian parliamentary elections in areas occupied during the ongoing conflict, stating that the elections are illegal. This comes in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, followed by the annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

The elections are set to proceed despite the presence of observers from ex-Soviet states intended to assess their legitimacy. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, however, maintains that these actions will not change the fact that any vote held in Ukrainian territory without the country's consent is considered illegal and therefore null and void.

President Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party, along with other pro-Kremlin parties, is expected to maintain dominance in the Russian parliament after the September elections. This prospect persists even as opposition parties, like Yabloko, continue to face pressure and exclusion from the electoral process.