The so-called “local elections” in the territories of Ukraine seized by the Russian army are the apotheosis of contempt for international law. That is why BUCN – the Balkan-Ukrainian platform, which combines analysts in international relations, business, and security, calls not only not to recognize their conduction but also to condemn this phenomenon at the international level.
The Balkan-Ukrainian cooperation network addressed the leaders of the Balkan countries with this appeal.
Geography of crime
The forces of the Security Service of Ukraine discovered facts that prove that Russia despises not only international law but also its own. The process started last week, and it continues abnormally because people accompanied by armed soldiers come to residents’ houses and apartments, sometimes passers-by and forced to vote simply on the street or in public places.
Constant in its arbitrariness
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the Russian Federation has violated international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine. Similar referendums and elections were held repeatedly on the territory of:
– the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol city – since 2014;
– Donetsk and Luhansk regions – since 2014;
– Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions – from 2022.
To attract Ukrainians to vote, Russians traditionally use proven methods:
– blackmail;
– intimidation;
– compulsory issuance of passports;
– replacement of identification documents of a person with Russian analogs.
The Russian government perfectly remembers how the Ukrainians resisted the elections in 2022, so this time the preparations are even stricter and more serious. In addition, the “elections” are deliberately delayed.
Impunity as the basis of the policy of the Russian Federation
Citizens of civilized countries understand that there is no actual manifestation of the people’s will in the territories where the Russian Federation has established a regime of lawlessness and violence.
Another move of Russia is the rapid resettlement to the occupied territories of Russian citizens who will take part in the “elections.” They should create the illusion of support for the Russian Federation in these areas.
At the same time, it is crucial to remember that the election process here violates several important legal bases:
– UN Charter;
– sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, etc.
That is why no elected body in the occupied territories can be recognized as legitimate. The provision of democratic norms and freedoms is not just questioned here, it is destroyed.
That is why the Balkan-Ukrainian community appealed to recognize another crime committed by Russia in Ukraine, to resort to harsh sanctions, and to help bring the Kremlin leadership to criminal responsibility.
