# How Russia used parliamentary elections to legitimize occupation of Ukrainian territories

https://mins.news/en/item/69436

- The Kyiv Independent, 2026-09-22 18:36 UTC
- World
- Original: https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-used-parliamentary-elections-to-legitimize-occupation-of-ukrainian-territories/

> Russia held parliamentary voting for the first time in Ukrainian territories it illegally claims, a move Ukraine and the EU rejected as unlawful. Ukrainian officials and rights groups said the sham election was intended to portray residents as accepting Russian rule and joining its political system. Reported turnout was unusually high but could not be independently verified, with allegations of coercion, predetermined figures and fraud.

## Stories

- [Russian Parliamentary Elections and Political System](https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-election-and-political-system) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/russia-election-and-political-system.md

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