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Ukraine’s parliament refuses to recognize legitimacy of Russian elections over Crimea

The relevant resolution won support from 264 Ukrainian lawmakers whereas 226 votes are needed to pass a bill or a resolution

© Mykhailo Markiv/Ukrainian presidential press service/TASS

KIEV, September 20. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, or Parliament, on Tuesday passed a resolution on non-recognition of the legitimacy of Russia’s parliamentary elections.

The relevant resolution won support from 264 Ukrainian lawmakers whereas 226 votes are needed to pass a bill or a resolution.

"We think that presence in Russia’s seventh State Duma [lower parliament house - TASS] of lawmakers elected as a result of illegal elections in the territory occupied by Russian [obviously meaning Crimea - TASS] make the September 18 elections to the Russian State Duma illegitimate in general," according to the explanatory note to the document.

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The resolution says that Rada lawmakers will turn to the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly, to parliaments of foreign states, parliamentary assemblies and international organizations with a "call not to recognize legitimacy of the elections to the Russian seventh State Duma."

The document was initiated by People’s Front lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Opposition Bloc said the resolution on non-recognition of the Russian parliamentary polls is yet another declaration "that has no applied meaning for the country." Moreover, according to the Opposition Bloc, the document "runs counter to the opinion of international organizations" which are rendering assistance to Ukraine.

The Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, a city with a special status on the Crimean Peninsula, where most residents are Russians, refused to recognize the legitimacy of authorities brought to power amid riots during a coup in Ukraine in February 2014.

Crimea and Sevastopol adopted declarations of independence on March 11, 2014. They held a referendum on March 16, 2014, in which 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the reunification deals March 18, 2014.

Despite the absolutely convincing results of the referendum, Ukraine has been refusing to recognize Crimea as a part of Russia.

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Ukraine crisis Crimea and Sevastopol Duma election 2016

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