NSDC Secretary rejects possibility of holding elections in Donbas according to Russian scenario

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov emphasizes that elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions cannot be held according to the Russian scenario.

"Elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions cannot be held according to the Russian scenario. They can be held only in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine, Ukrainian legislation, and European norms of electoral process," Danilov said on the air of Ukraine 24 TV channel, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He insists that elections in the occupied territories may take place only after Ukraine restores its control over these territories.

"We have a vision of how this should happen: security [must be ensured], [control over] border [must be restored], Ukrainian flags [must be raised] at Ukrainian polling stations, and this must be Ukrainian territory, not the temporarily occupied territory," said the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

As reported, on July 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution to appoint local elections in Ukraine for October 25, 2020.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the resolution "contradicts the Minsk agreements and jeopardizes the prospects for settlement [of the situation in Donbas]."

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