U.S. condemns Russian elections in occupied Ukrainian territories

The United States condemns the Russian regime's organization of elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and says all those involved in this process as well as those who agreed to act as international observers will be held to account.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said this at a briefing in Washington on Thursday, March 14, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The United States condemns Russia's continuing efforts to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence through sham elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories," Miller said.

He stressed that the United States "does not and will never recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham elections held in sovereign Ukraine as part of Russia's presidential elections."

"To be clear, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea are Ukraine," Miller said.

At the same time, he added that the results of "these Potemkin-style exercises will be dictated by Moscow and cannot reflect the free will of the citizens of Ukraine who are being compelled to vote in them."

Miller also emphasized that Russia once again shows blatant disregard for its obligations under international law.

"The United States will continue to use all available tools to hold accountable those individuals responsible for actions that undermine the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of free countries, including those who serve as election observers for the Kremlin's sham elections in occupied parts of Ukraine," he said.

Russian presidential elections will be held for three days - from March 15 to 17, 2024. In December, Russia's Central Election Commission adopted a resolution on holding presidential "elections" in March 2024 in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The UN said Russia's plans to organize voting in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories were contrary to international law.