Holding elections to the Russian State Duma in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as Russia did in Crimea, as well as in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhia, constitutes a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, as well as the UN Charter. This is stated in a joint statement by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
"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. This includes reports of the enforced disappearance, detention, and torture of thousands of Ukrainian citizens," the Canadian government's press office said in a statement.
The signatories of the statement emphasized that the occupied regions are part of Ukraine, and holding sham elections cannot change the status of these territories under international law. We continue to support Ukraine.
"We call on the international community to reject Russia's attempts to normalise its occupation, condemn the holding of sham elections on Ukrainian territory, call for those involved in the organisation of the election to be held to account, support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and demand that Russia immediately end its war of aggression against Ukraine and agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Borders must never be redrawn by force," the statement reads.
