Russian elections in parts of Ukraine are a violation of the UN Charter and a fraud: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
President, I must first address the latest appalling Russian missile strikes on Odesa today, an apparent ‘double tap’ strike designed to inflict maximum human casualties and target first responders.
Ukrainians are not only mourning the 16 civilians who have lost their lives in Odesa today.
Today, Ukrainian civilians in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea, are being forced and intimidated into taking part in a sham election.
As the General Assembly has made clear, including in October 2022 when 143 States voted to condemn Russia’s attempted illegal annexation, these regions are part of the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine.
The people in these territories voted overwhelmingly to join an independent Ukraine in 1991. There is no popular support for Russian rule, historically or today.
Yet Russia continues to defy the calls of UN Member States and the Ukrainian people, pressing ahead with its attempt to consolidate its illegal control.
Alarming reports have emerged of officials, accompanied by troops, carrying ballot boxes from door to door. All part of Russia’s effort to cultivate a climate of fear and coercion.
As the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has reported today, there is overwhelming evidence that Russian forces have carried out large-scale atrocities in territories under its control since 2022. This includes arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence against civilians.
And Russia does not allow the UN or humanitarian agencies meaningful access to support the millions of Ukrainians living in these areas.
Yet ordinary Ukrainians continue to demonstrate true bravery by standing strong and resisting Russian oppression. In the past weeks, there has been a surge of demonstrations of resistance. In response, Russia has sent more of its National Guard into these areas to stifle dissent.
President, these elections are a sham because of a simple truth: you cannot hold legitimate elections in someone else’s country.
These elections are a violation of the UN Charter and a fraud, nothing more.
They will not be recognised, just as we will never recognise Russia’s attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory.
So I call on Russia to respect the call of UN Member States and immediately halt these elections on sovereign Ukrainian territory, end its aggression against Ukraine, and adhere to all its international commitments in full.
The UK will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to secure a just and lasting peace, in line with the UN Charter.
Thank you.