Oleksandr Turchynov on “elections” in the occupied territories: This crime will be punished

Due to the efforts of the Russian occupation administration in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions to hold so-called "elections", the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reminded everyone, who participates in the organization and carrying out of these fake illicit events and stands behind them, about inescapable responsibility.

According to him, these criminal acts condemned by all leading countries of the world "are a gross violation and a total discredit of the Minsk agreements, as well as the Russian aggressor's attempt to strengthen its control over the occupied territory".

"The law enforcement agencies of Ukraine will identify all the organizers and participants of these pseudo-elections, and they will inevitably be prosecuted", - he said.

Mr. Turchynov reminded that according to the legislation of Ukraine participation in the organization and holding of fake elections in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions falls under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

article 109. Actions aimed at forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or takeover of government (shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term up to 10 years with the forfeiture of property);

article 110. Trespass against territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine (shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of 15 years to a life sentence with the forfeiture of property);

article 110-2. Financing of actions committed for the purpose of forceful change or overthrow of the constitutional order or takeover of government, the change of the territorial boundaries or national borders of Ukraine (shall be punishable by imprisonment for up to 8 years with the forfeiture of property);

article 111. High treason (shall be punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years with the forfeiture of property);

article 114-1. Interference with the legitimate activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations (shall be punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years).

The NSDC Secretary stressed that, besides the above articles, the organizers of these fake elections and those who participate in them may also be prosecuted under other articles which provide for long terms of imprisonment and forfeiture of property. These include articles 158, 159-1, 161, 170, 255, 256, 258-3, 258-5, 260, 293, 295, 332-1, 338, 340, 341, 353, 436, 436-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

"I want to assure all those involved in holding these illicit events that their hopes to escape responsibility for their actions are groundless, and to warn that you only have one chance - to stay away from participation in the crime in time", - he said concluding that "the temporarily occupied Donbas and the Crimea have been and will be an integral part of Ukraine!"