Moscow: Russia is going to hold local elections in the occupied parts of Ukraine this weekend with the aim of strengthening its grip on these areas.
According to international media reports, voting for Russian-appointed legislators has already begun in Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, which will end on Sunday.
The Council of Europe, a human rights organization, said in this regard that Russia’s move is a clear violation of international law, which Russia continues to ignore.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemned Russia’s decision and said that these are fake elections. The statement issued by the Ukrainian Parliament said that Russia’s voting in these areas poses a threat to Ukrainian citizens. Ukrainian authorities have urged other countries not to recognize the results of the vote.
In addition, political analyst Abbas Gliamauf said that despite the fact that it does not have complete control over the annexed territories, it is important for Russia to continue the voting process in order to maintain the normal situation in the occupied territories.
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