European Commission condemns sham elections in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine

He addressed the issue on X, Ukrinform reports.

"The Russian Federation started early voting in its illegal so called ‘elections’ in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories as further massive violation of international law & Ukraine's sovereignty," Stano wrote.

"Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk are all Ukraine," he added.

The official also noted that all persons involved in this illegal election process will be held to account.

As reported, Russia’s Central Election Commission voted to hold on September 10 the so-called "local elections" in the Ukrainian territories temporarily controlled by invaders. The territories in question are those temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

In Mariupol, the city also temporarily captured by the Russian army, the invaders are already holding early "local elections” using parked cars at bus stops as ballot stations.

Photo: eumetsat.int