Lithuania on Monday condemned the elections held by Russia over the weekend in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and vowed a “strong and concrete response” to those involved.
“This illegal step is another desperate attempt by the Kremlin to legitimise control of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, to give the illusion of non-existent legitimacy, further grossly violating international law and Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, complementing the long list of crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry quoted Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis as saying.
On the weekend, Russian authorities held so-called “local elections” in the four regions of Ukraine that Moscow occupied last year: Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. Voting for federal and local legislators was also held on the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.
Balloting in the occupied areas of Ukraine has been denounced by Kyiv and the West as a sham and a violation of international law.
Moscow claimed Sunday that the United Russia party, which staunchly backs President Vladimir Putin, had won local ballots in areas occupied by Russia.
“The international community will never recognise the results of these fake elections. Furthermore, those who contribute to their organisation must receive a strong and concrete response,” Landsbergis stressed.
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