Russia is plotting another attempt to legitimize territories it captured from Ukraine, within Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, through the State Duma elections in 2026.
The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported this on Telegram, Ukrinform saw.
“Russia is preparing another attempt to legitimize the occupied territories of Ukraine through the State Duma elections in 2026. Against the background of the Kremlin’s demands for international recognition of the occupied territories as part of the Russian Federation, the Russian Central Election Commission has formed single-mandate electoral districts for the temporarily occupied territories: three districts in Donetsk region; two in Luhansk region; and one each in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions,” the report says.
In 2026, the Kremlin plans to put in the Duma 11 “deputies” from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. To this end, the number of districts on Russia’s actual soil is being reduced.
The disinformation watchdog emphasized that creating “electoral districts” in temporarily occupied areas is Russia’s standard practice. After seizing control of Crimea in 2014, Russia created four districts there ahead of the “elections” to the State Duma in 2016 and 2021. Ukraine did not recognize either of those.
In March 2024, Russia held “presidential elections” in the TOT, seeking to legalize the grab through results doctored in Putin’s favor.
As reported, the “Russian presidential elections” were held in 2024 for three days –March 15 through 17. In December, the Central Election Commission adopted a resolution on holding “presidential elections” in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stated that the holding of the so-called Russian presidential elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine – is illegitimate.
The United States and a number of other nations condemned the illegitimate “elections” the Russian regime held in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Source: Russia seeks to legitimize occupied areas through 2026 "elections" - Ukraine officials
