Ukraine rejects Russian State Duma vote on occupied territories as a 'farce'
Russia held elections to the State Duma from September 18–20, including on temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the vote a "farce of the occupier state," said it recognizes neither the conduct nor the results, and warned of legal consequences for anyone participating.
Key points
- Russia held State Duma elections from September 18–20 on temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
- Ukraine's MFA called the vote a "farce of the occupier state" with nothing in common with democratic elections.
- Ukraine does not recognize either the conduct of the vote or its results, and warned of legal consequences for participation.
- MFA said including representatives elected on occupied territories additionally delegitimizes the entire State Duma.
- Russia's Central Election Commission introduced a 'special procedure' on occupied territories allowing courtyard voting in front-line areas under the pretext of security risks.
- Russia included the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Svyatohirsk in Donetsk oblast into its electoral district.
- Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation said no independent international organization was admitted to observe the vote; 'public chamber of observers' are loyal to the Kremlin.
- Vladimir Putin said in a video address that the vote would 'help Russia win the war.'
- Russia's CEC reported a polling station worker was killed in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast and 14 polling stations in occupied Luhansk oblast lost power.
Why it matters
The vote is Russia's first attempt to formally seat parliamentary representatives elected on occupied Ukrainian territory, an effort Kyiv and its institutions frame as an attempt to legitimize the occupation and assert Russian jurisdiction over these areas. The procedures used on occupied territory — courtyard voting, mobile groups, no independent international observers — create conditions conducive to falsification, according to Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation. Ukraine has formally rejected both the vote and its outcomes and warned of legal consequences for anyone participating, while the broader State Duma vote is taking place under wartime restrictions that have already seen anti-war candidates removed from the ballot.
What happened
Russia held elections to the State Duma from September 18–20, with voting also conducted on the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea, Sevastopol, and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Early voting on occupied territory began on August 29. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on September 18 calling the vote a 'farce of the occupier state' that has nothing in common with democratic elections, and said Ukraine recognizes neither the conduct of the vote nor its results. The MFA added that the inclusion of representatives elected on occupied Ukrainian territory in the Russian parliament additionally delegitimizes the entire composition of the State Duma, and called on foreign states and international organizations not to recognize these Russian actions. The Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council said 'courtyard voting' and mobile voting groups on occupied territory create ideal conditions for falsifications and inflated turnout, and that no independent international organization was admitted to observe the process. Russia's Central Election Commission, headed by Ella Pamfilova, introduced a 'special procedure' allowing courtyard voting in front-line areas under the pretext of security risks, and incorporated the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Svyatohirsk in Donetsk oblast into a Russian electoral district. Pamfilova said the ability to vote was a 'hard-won right' for residents of occupied regions. Vladimir Putin said in a video address that the vote would 'help Russia win the war.' On the first day of voting Russia's CEC reported a polling station worker was killed in occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast, 14 polling stations in occupied Luhansk oblast lost power, and a polling station in Krasnodar Krai was relocated after a drone strike broke its windows. Preliminary results were expected by the evening of September 20.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All supplied sources are Ukrainian and uniformly describe the Russian vote on occupied territory as illegal, a 'farce of the occupier state,' and a violation of international law. They center institutional responses: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' formal non-recognition of both the conduct and the results of the vote and the assertion that Crimea, Sevastopol, and the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts remain an integral part of Ukraine; the Center for Countering Disinformation's focus on procedural irregularities (courtyard voting, mobile groups, the absence of independent international observers, and 'public chamber of observers' loyal to the Kremlin); the Foreign Intelligence Service's warning about possible Russian false-flag provocations during the voting period; and the SBU's calls on residents of occupied territory not to take part, noting that participation can be used by Russian propaganda to legitimize the occupation and intimidate people living under it.
Background
After 2014, 143 UN member states confirmed the illegality of Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory and demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from all territories within internationally recognized borders; Ukraine's MFA cited this tally as the only legitimate vote on the status of occupied territory. Russia's Central Election Commission introduced a 'special procedure' allowing courtyard voting in front-line areas under the pretext of security risks, and incorporated the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Svyatohirsk in Donetsk oblast into a Russian electoral district. On August 13, Ukraine's MFA warned CIS observers against visiting the occupied territories during the elections; on September 10, Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service warned of possible Russian false-flag provocations during the voting period.