National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
Oleksandr Turchynov: Russia has two strategies for influencing elections in our country
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov held a meeting with Head of the International Observation Mission to Ukraine's 2019 Elections Eugene Czolij.
During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed the issues of holding presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine in 2019 in the context of Russia's attempts to influence, disrupt or discredit the election process in our country.
According to Mr. Turchynov, the Russian Federation is trying to influence elections in Ukraine using a wide range of hybrid technologies (cybernetic, information and propaganda, etc.).
"There is an ongoing intensification of spy networks, pro-Russian political projects and media, the terrorist threat is growing. In the event of failure to put a candidate convenient for Russia and to bolster the influence of pro-Russian forces, the Kremlin will try to compromise or undermine the election process by all means, which can significantly destabilize the situation in our country", - the NSDC Secretary stressed.
Oleksandr Turchynov noted that the security structures in Ukraine will operate exclusively within the limits of the law and the Constitution, without affecting the course of the election process, "but in every possible way countering any attempt to undermine, compromise, falsify or influence the citizens' will".
In his turn, Eugene Czolij emphasized that all members of the Ukrainian World Congress, which he represents, "understand that Ukraine is counteracting brutal Russian aggression". "We all understand the reasons why Ukraine will not allow observers from Russia on its territory", - he said.
In general, according to Mr. Czolij, on the election day in Ukraine, about a thousand international observers will work, with over two hundred of them beeing the representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora fluent in Ukrainian, "which will allow them to objectively evaluate and respond promptly to any situation".