"Putin will not redraw the map as he pleases": Canadian PM on elections in occupied Ukraine's regions
Canada does not recognize the Kremlin-hosted elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine, says the state's PM Justin Trudeau in his statement in response to the "sham elections."
The illegal elections in occupied territories, which began on Aug. 31 come a year after Russia held sham annexation referendums in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions, which Russian forces only partially control.
Canada does not, and will not ever, recognize the results of these sham elections or Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukraine, the statement reads.
These sham elections are serious violations of international law, including the United Nations Charter…Putin will not redraw the map as he pleases, and Ukraine's territory shall remain Ukraine's.
Trudeau emphasized that Canada "condemns in the strongest possible terms" Russia's war against Ukraine and its attempts to annex the territory.
Canada will act with our G7 allies to make sure that Vladimir Putin and the collaborators of the Russian regime face the consequences for their actions, Trudeau assured.
The Prime Minister also addressed all Ukrainians who continue to resist Russian occupation, saying Canada will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Sham elections in occupied territories
Starting from September 10, Russia holds illegal elections of various levels, including by-elections of State Duma deputies, heads of regions, etc. The Kremlin also plans to hold pseudo-voting in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Security Service served a notice of suspicion to Russia's head of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova for organizing sham elections in Ukraine's occupied part. The enforcement officers also exposed 15 collaborators ready to start elections in the Luhansk region.
In late May, Russia amended the law, which allows for elections in the occupied territories. This caused a serious response from Ukrainian partisans.
The SSU press service reported that partisans hit several areas of the voting in occupied Berdiansk and Kamianka-Dniprovska in the Zaporizhzhia, which resulted in fewer people attending the elections. Ukrainian kamikaze drones struck the Russian invaders' so-called elections HQ in the same region.
