Putin’s sham “elections” in the occupied Ukrainian territories are a prelude to the next stage of genocide

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) strongly condemns the so-called “Presidential elections” that the Russian occupational authorities are illegally staging in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

We also call on the international community to hold the Russian aggressor state and its criminal leadership accountable, mainly by imposing sanctions against all the individuals and organizations that are involved in organizing these sham “elections,” transferring frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, and establishing an international tribunal for the crime of aggression.

The Russian invaders will use this fake “election process” to increase persecution and implement another stage of the genocide of the Ukrainian people in the occupied territories. According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the Russian occupational administrations are using the so called “elections” to entrench their control by forcefully imposing Russian citizenship on Ukrainian residents and identifying Ukrainians who are not loyal to Russia or have been supporting the local Ukrainian resistance movement. The Russian occupiers, reportedly, are also preparing to announce forced conscription of the Ukrainian male population into the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces soon after the “Presidential election” ends. If implemented, it would mean another stage of Russia’s elimination of the Ukrainian population in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. 

Globally, the Kremlin seeks to legitimize its unlawful war and occupation in Ukraine by conducting sham “elections,” not only in Russia but also in the Ukrainian territories it has illicitly seized. This strategy aims to construct a misleading narrative that suggests Ukrainian citizens are electing and acknowledging Putin as their “leader” through purportedly “democratic” methods.

The world must denounce Russia’s lies, fraud, and terror, stand firm with Ukraine, and respond with enhanced military support. 

Freedom must prevail over tyranny.