Russia Holds Parliamentary Vote In Ukrainian Regions Seized During War, Ukraine And EU Reject Poll

Moscow, September 19, 2026: Russia is holding parliamentary elections in Ukrainian territories it seized and claimed to have annexed, bringing residents into a State Duma election for the first time since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine over four-and-a-half years ago. Ukraine has denounced the voting as illegal and urged other nations not to recognize the election or its results.

Human rights activists allege residents are being pressured into participating. Voting extends into the Ukrainian regions seized by Russia, with balloting beginning in late August in some areas. Russian authorities claim over 3.5 million voters in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia territories, regions Moscow annexed in September 2022, though these have not been internationally recognized.

At a polling station in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region, voters cast their ballots with armed Russian soldiers present. Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of voting in these regions during a speech, stating residents would participate "for the first time since their reunification with Russia". The Kremlin presents this as a demonstration of political unity and support for the war.

Ukrainian authorities reject the elections as illegal and warn Ukrainians not to participate, stating it could lead to criminal liability. A coalition of Ukrainian human rights groups urges people in Russian-held territories to avoid the polls, calling it an attempt to legitimize Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory. European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand called the voting in Russian-held regions "another blatant violation of international law".

Activists allege local election commissions are visiting homes with Russian troops to force residents to vote and that Moscow-appointed authorities are pressuring public-sector workers with threats of dismissal and loss of benefits if they do not vote. Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst, criticizes the elections as a "farce," pointing out that they take place amid ongoing war and shelling, mocking the people's suffering and lacking democratic legitimacy.