The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses a categorical protest against the illegal and illegitimate actions of Russia in conducting today's pseudo-elections in the temporarily occupied territories in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, the press service of the Foreign Ministry reports..

"Russia, as a party to the armed conflict in the Donbass and the signatories of the Minsk agreements, once again fundamentally violated its obligations under them," the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry notes that the results of these pseudo-elections will be "legally void" and will not create any legal consequences, and will not be recognized either by Ukraine or the international community..

"Legitimate elections in the Donbass can be held only in full compliance with Ukrainian legislation and OSCE standards with the provision of monitoring by the OSCE / ODIHR," the Foreign Ministry stressed.

MFA expresses indignation at Russia's ignoring the position of the international community, which condemned the organization of fake "elections" and called for their cancellation. “Russia bears full responsibility for these illegal actions and destructive consequences for the peace process,” the statement reads..

The Foreign Ministry called on the international community to increase political and economic pressure on the Kremlin, as well as the introduction of new sanctions against the invader state and those directly involved in the "organization of these sham" elections..