Ukraine Rejects Russian Presidential Elections in Occupied Territories

Ukraine has condemned Russia's plans to hold presidential elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea, in March 2024. The Ukrainian foreign ministry called the elections "null and void" and warned that international observers would face criminal responsibility if they monitored the process. Russia, which illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, intends to hold voting in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, areas it does not fully control. President Vladimir Putin, who has been in power since 1999, is expected to extend his grip on power until at least 2030. Ukraine continues to battle Russian forces in the south and east of the country.