MAE does not recognize legitimacy of presidential elections held by Russian authorities in Ukrainian territories

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced on Friday that it does not recognise the legitimacy of the presidential elections organised by the Russian authorities in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol."From 15 to 17 March 2024, presidential elections will be held in the Russian Federation. The Russian authorities have announced that the elections will also be held in the Ukrainian territories illegally annexed or temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation since 2014. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not and will not recognize the legitimacy of the aforementioned elections held in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which are integral parts of Ukraine. The MAE also reconfirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," reads a MAE press released sent on Friday.According to the ministry, the Russian authorities have decided not to invite ODHIR/OSCE observers to the March 2024 presidential election, "in contradiction with the international obligations assumed". At the same time, "it is possible that the Russian authorities may extend invitations" to foreign individuals or legal entities to observe and monitor the elections."Under the given conditions, the MAE strongly discourages the participation of Romanian citizens or Romanian legal entities in monitoring elections in the Russian Federation. MAE reminds that the presence of Romanian citizens in the territories belonging to Ukraine under the occupation of the Russian Federation, including for the purpose of election observation and monitoring, entails criminal and administrative consequences in accordance with Ukrainian law," the press release states.