Kiev urges Ukrainian citizens not to participate in Russian elections in the Crimea
Kiev officials urge Ukrainian citizens in the territory of the annexed Crimea to boycott the elections of deputies to the State Duma of Russia, according to a statement by the press-service of the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
"We call on Ukrainian citizens who are in the territory ofthe occupied Crimea not to participate in the elections to the State Duma of Russia. Such a procedure in the territory of the temporarily occupied peninsula is illegitimate and will not be recognized by the international community. The Crimea, after all, is an integral part of Ukraine,” the statement read.
Moreover, the Ministry notes that "citizens who will be involved in the process as party representatives, members of territorial electoral commissions and observers will be automatically regarded as violators of national and international law."
"The conduct of the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, after all, is illegal and confirmed by a series of documents,” the statement said.
Elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation are scheduled for 18 September 2016.