The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have rejected Russia’s conduct of the lower house of Federal Assembly elections in Ukraine’s territory controlled by Russia, describing the development as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
In a joint statement published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on Monday, the countries disclosed the elections were held in Crimea and the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
“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 countries said.
The five governments also alleged that the elections formed part of what they described as a broader system of occupation involving the imposition of Russian administration, law, media, education, language and citizenship.
“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,” the statement said.
It added that there had been reports of the enforced disappearance, detention and torture of thousands of Ukrainian citizens.
The countries said the holding of elections in the territories did not change their legal status.
“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,” they said.
The statement called on the international community to reject what the five countries described as Russia’s attempts to normalise its occupation and to condemn the elections held in Ukrainian territory.
The governments also called for those involved in organising the elections to be held to account and urged countries to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
They further called for Russia to end its war against Ukraine and agree to what they described as a “full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
“Borders must never be redrawn by force,” the statement said.
