Poland’s foreign ministry has said that “the presidential elections held in Crimea by the Russian authorities cannot be recognised” because Crimea is part of Ukraine.

Protestor holds placard against Vladimir Putin's politics in front of the Russian embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, on Sunday. Photo: EPA/STEPAN FRANKO

In a statement “on the non-recognition of Russian presidential elections in the Crimea,” the Polish foreign ministry on Sunday expressed its "protest against Russia’s actions" in Ukraine and urged “respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.”

The ministry reiterated its position that “Poland, together with the Transatlantic community, express[es] its strong protest against Russia’s actions vis-a-vis Ukraine.”

“We advocate respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and consider Crimea to be part of the Ukrainian state,” the ministry said in the statement, which it posted on its website. “Thus, the presidential elections held on the peninsula by the Russian authorities cannot be recognised.”

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after a referendum that the Ukrainian authorities and the West said was illegal. Earlier, Russian soldiers in unmarked uniforms seized strategic facilities on the peninsula from the Ukrainian army and local authorities.

Meanwhile, Russia’s long-serving leader Vladimir Putin extended his presidency by another six years after winning a landslide election victory on Sunday, the fourth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea.

With more than 99 percent of the ballots counted by early Monday, Putin had garnered 76.6 percent of the vote, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported, citing data by Russia's Central Election Commission.

(gs/pk)

Source: PAP, IAR, niezalezna.pl, msz.gov.pl