After 26 years of Putin’s rule, UWC calls on Russia to hold real elections

Russia held parliamentary elections from 18 to 20 September. The result was decided in advance. United Russia, the Kremlin’s ruling party, claims 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma, its largest majority ever. Every party entering parliament supports the war against Ukraine. The only established anti-war party was barred from the ballot.

After 26 years in power, Vladimir Putin has eliminated any real political opposition. His critics are imprisoned, exiled or dead. Independent media are banned. Golos, Russia’s only independent election monitor, has been shut down and its co-chair jailed. An election held under these conditions has no legitimacy.

“Russians haven’t had a real choice at the ballot box in over two decades,” said Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “Russia must hold free and fair elections. Until it does, no government should treat the results of this vote, or Putin himself, as legitimate.”

Russia also staged voting in occupied Ukraine, including Crimea and the occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. Residents were forced to vote at gunpoint for the state waging war against them. Anyone “elected” there holds no legitimate office.

“Putin is an illegitimate leader on a messianic mission to restore the Russian empire,” said Grod. “Ukraine is standing in his way and must be supported. The world cannot normalize relations with a dictator and a war criminal.”

The Ukrainian World Congress calls on the international community to:

1. Reject the results of Russia’s parliamentary elections.
2. Sanction every official “elected” in occupied Ukraine, including in Crimea, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, along with everyone who organized or endorsed the vote.
3. Refuse to recognize Putin as a legitimate leader or to normalize relations with his regime.