Baltics Say Upcoming Russian Election In Occupied Areas Of Ukraine 'Grave Violation Of International Law'

The foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania said Russia’s plan to hold elections in "temporarily occupied and illegally annexed" Ukrainian territory is "a grave violation of international law, the UN Charter, and Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity." In a joint statement issued on February 19, the ministers of the Baltic NATO nations said, "We strongly condemn these unacceptable decisions by Russia's political leadership. Russia's political leadership and those involved in organizing such action will bear the consequences of these illegal activities."