KYIV — September 18, 2026. Ukraine says it does not recognize Russian State Duma voting organized in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.
The position concerns Crimea and Sevastopol as well as occupied parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
Ukraine’s position
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said before the vote that Russian-organized voting in occupied Ukrainian territories is illegal under Ukrainian law and warned foreign citizens against traveling to those territories as election observers.
On September 18, the ministry’s position was reiterated as voting began. Kyiv says the organization of Russian elections in occupied territory does not establish Russian sovereignty over those areas.
Legal context
Russia claims several occupied Ukrainian regions as part of the Russian Federation. Ukraine rejects those claims and considers the territories part of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
UkraineView attributes these legal and political positions to the Ukrainian government and does not present election administration itself as determining territorial sovereignty.
Sources
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine — September 8 briefing