Council of Europe condemns Russia’s sham ‘elections’ in temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine

In a joint statement, Council of Europe President of the Committee of Ministers Krišjānis Kariņš, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Tiny Kox, and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić strongly condemned Russia’s sham 'elections' within the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine.

The relevant statement was published on the website of the Council of Europe, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We strongly condemn the illegitimate sham ‘elections’ that took place on 8-10 September 2023 in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation,” the statement reads.

The representatives of the Council of Europe emphasized that the above ‘elections’ consitute a further illustration of the denial by the Russian Federation of the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

“The Russian authorities’ decision to organise them is only the latest in a series of illegal and harmful decisions they have taken since the Russian Federation was expelled from our Organisation as a result of its war of aggression against Ukraine. These sham ‘elections’ can only be considered as null and void under international law,” the representatives of the Council of Europe noted.

In addition, the Council of Europe reaffirmed its unwavering support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its international recognised borders.

A reminder that, on September 8-10, 2023, Russia held the so-called sham ‘elections’ to local occupation administrations in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as well as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry stated earlier that Russia’s unlawful ‘elections’ would not have any legal consequences and would not change the status of the Ukrainian territories seized by Russian troops.