EU Declares Russian Elections in Occupied Crimea Invalid

On September 9, 2024, the European Union officially condemned the so-called elections organized by Russia in the temporarily occupied Crimea from September 6 to 8. The European External Action Service stated that the results of these elections are legally void.

“Russia conducted partial regional and local elections, including in Crimea and Sevastopol, which are part of Ukraine. The EU strongly condemns these actions as violations of international law, the UN Charter, and Ukraine’s sovereignty,” the statement reads. The EU emphasizes that it does not recognize either the elections or their results.

The statement also highlights that Russian officials and those responsible for organizing these illegal elections will be held accountable. The EU reaffirms its stance that Crimea is part of Ukraine, in line with the UN General Assembly resolution of March 27, 2014, and calls on Russia to cease its efforts to undermine Ukraine’s national unity and territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also responded to the “elections,” noting that the results of these so-called elections will not be deemed legitimate.

On September 8, Russia held elections for local government bodies, including in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Official data indicates that 33% of Crimea’s residents participated in the voting. However, local observers report low turnout at polling stations, particularly in Yevpatoria and Sevastopol.

On February 27, 2014, Russian forces began their occupation of Crimea, taking control of key government and military installations. This led to a illegal referendum on March 16, 2014, where the local authorities, under Russian control, claimed that the majority of Crimean voters supported joining Russia. Shortly after, on March 18, 2014, Russia formally annexed Crimea, an action condemned by Ukraine and the international community as illegal under international law.