Unofficial translation from Ukrainian
APPEAL
of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
to the Parliaments and Governments of Foreign States, International Organizations and Parliamentary Assemblies Concerning the russian federation’s Intention to Unlawfully Organize and Conduct the So-Called Elections to the state duma of the russian federation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine – Parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol

The russian federation, continuing its policy of illegal occupation and its attempts to legitimize the attempted illegal annexation of parts of the territory of Ukraine, plans to hold the so-called elections to the state duma of the russian federation on 18-20 September 2026 in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
By these actions, the russian federation once again violates the principles enshrined in key instruments underpinning the contemporary international legal order and democracy, including the Charter of the United Nations; the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations; the Hague Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its Annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land; the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War; the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (Helsinki Final Act); the Charter of Paris for a New Europe; the Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE; the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as a number of resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly reaffirming the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea, and condemning the temporary occupation by the russian federation of parts of the territory of Ukraine, attempted illegal annexation, and systematic violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
In its statement of 6 August 2026, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) emphasized that ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly condemn the decision of the russian federation to organize voting in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The statement further underscored that the results of any so-called elections organized by the russian federation would have no validity under international law, and that such actions are contrary to international law and violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
Strongly and unequivocally condemning the illegal, unprovoked and unjustified armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, which began in 2014 and, on 24 February 2022, escalated into a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by the russian federation, the temporary occupation by the russian federation of parts of the territory of Ukraine, and the attempts of the kremlin regime to legitimize the attempted illegal annexation of those territories,
Recalling that the actions of the russian federation in the course of its ongoing armed aggression against Ukraine constitute a grave violation of generally recognized principles and norms of international law, including those enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and of the fundamental principles of the international legal order,
Emphasizing that the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine has resulted in massive human rights violations and is accompanied by the systematic repression of citizens of Ukraine residing in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by members of the armed forces of the russian federation and the occupation administrations,
Stressing that the organization of the so-called electoral process and the establishment of so-called polling stations for voting in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as the coercion into participating in the so-called elections of citizens of Ukraine residing in those territories or forced to stay in the territory of the russian federation, constitute yet another act of criminal activity by the kremlin regime,
Drawing attention to the principled position, supported, inter alia, by ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, that the holding of so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine constitutes a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,
Stressing that the holding by the russian federation of the so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine will be illegitimate and that the results of such elections will be null and void,
Recalling Resolution 2636 (2026) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, “Elections in times of crisis”, which reaffirms the fundamental importance of free and fair elections for democratic governance,
Recognizing that the complete disregard by the highest political leadership of the aggressor state for generally recognized principles and norms of international law, demonstrated through yet another brazen attempt to organize so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, undermines the legitimacy of the election results both within the russian federation and in the eyes of the international community,
Stressing that a continued failure to prevent the holding of the so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine will further embolden the russian federation to engage in new provocations and violations of the rights of the civilian population residing in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine,
Taking into account that the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation cautions against deploying international election observation missions to a state where their presence would be interpreted as legitimizing a clearly undemocratic electoral process,
Emphasizing that the presence of so-called international observers in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is unlawful and that, in the context of the ongoing armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, their safety cannot be guaranteed,
Stressing that officials of the russian federation involved in organizing and conducting illegal pseudo-elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are subject to criminal liability in accordance with Ukrainian law,
Noting that the criminal practice of holding so-called elections at various levels in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, pursued by the russian federation since 2014, and the absence of an adequate response by the international community to such actions have fostered a sense of impunity within the kremlin regime and contributed to the further erosion of the international legal order based on international law,
Emphasizing that the russian federation exercises no sovereign authority over any part of the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea, and stressing that the unlawful holding of so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine does not imply any extension of the aggressor state’s jurisdiction over such territories,
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on behalf of the Ukrainian people and highly appreciating the unwavering support of international partners for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea, calls upon the parliaments and governments of foreign states, international organizations and parliamentary assemblies to:
condemn the actions of the russian federation aimed at organizing and conducting the so-called elections to the state duma of the russian federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol;
refrain from sending their observers to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine for the so-called elections and warn their citizens against travelling to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine;
support the position that the organization and conduct by the russian federation of the so-called elections to the state duma of the russian federation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine render the entire composition of the state duma of the russian federation illegitimate;
support Ukraine’s efforts aimed at restoring justice, including by ensuring accountability for all persons involved in organizing the so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine;
increase sanctions pressure on the russian federation and on persons involved in organizing the so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including members of “election commissions”, representatives of the occupation administrations in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and russian propagandists;
continue providing Ukraine with the necessary military and economic assistance to strengthen its defence capabilities and facilitate the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea;
support efforts aimed at bringing the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine to an end and restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to the foreign states providing military, financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as comprehensive support to citizens of Ukraine who, as a result of the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, have found refuge in their respective countries.