Russian Embassy Rejects Five Countries’ Joint Statement on State Duma Elections

Dragon Media News Desk

The Russian Embassy has rejected a joint statement issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom concerning the recent State Duma elections. The five countries criticized voting conducted in Crimea and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, describing it as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In their joint statement, issued on September 21, the five countries maintained that the territories remain part of Ukraine under international law and that holding Russian parliamentary elections there does not change their legal status. They also called on the international community not to recognize the electoral process in those areas.

The Russian Embassy disputed that position, describing the territories as integral parts of the Russian Federation. It argued that residents had exercised their right to self-determination and chosen to join Russia. The embassy cited the Ukrainian government’s past policies, disputes concerning the Russian language and culture, and security conditions as factors behind that decision.

The embassy also accused Ukrainian forces of attempting to disrupt voting through attacks on Russian-controlled territories and other Russian cities. Its statement alleged that polling stations, election-related infrastructure and schools had been targeted and that civilians had been killed. The material provided by the embassy did not independently establish the details or full extent of those incidents.

The Russian side further questioned the five countries’ criticism of its electoral process by pointing to the absence of presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine since 2019. Ukraine’s wartime martial law, however, imposes legal restrictions on holding elections, while the continuing conflict presents additional security challenges.

A fundamental disagreement remains between Russia’s territorial claims and the internationally recognized status of Crimea and the four other Ukrainian regions. The United Nations General Assembly has rejected Russia’s attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory and reaffirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

The latest exchange of statements highlights the continuing diplomatic dispute over sovereignty, self-determination and electoral legitimacy alongside the wider conflict between Russia and Ukraine.