The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway on Monday condemned Russia’s decision to stage State Duma elections in Ukrainian territories under its control, describing the vote as a clear breach of international law.
In a joint statement issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the five countries said the elections took place in Crimea and the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
“Holding Russia’s State Duma elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as Russia did in Crimea and Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, is a gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, and the UN Charter,” the statement said.
The governments characterised the polls as part of a broader occupation policy. “These sham elections are part of a wider system of occupation: the imposition of Russian administration, law, media, education, language and citizenship, backed by coercion and repression,” they said.
They also cited reports of enforced disappearances, detention and torture of thousands of Ukrainian citizens.
The five nations stressed that the elections change nothing under international law. “These regions are part of Ukraine and holding sham elections cannot alter the status of these territories under international law. We continue to stand with Ukraine,” the statement added.
They urged the international community to reject any attempt to normalise the occupation, hold those involved in organising the elections to account, and support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
The countries further called on Russia to end its war against Ukraine and agree to a “full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” concluding: “Borders must never be redrawn by force.”
