WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russia prevented citizens from exercising their civil and political rights in recent elections and the United States does not recognize the Russian Duma elections on sovereign Ukrainian territory, the State Department said on Monday.
“The September 17-19 Duma elections in the Russian Federation took place under conditions not conducive to free and fair proceedings,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. “We do not recognize holding elections for the Russian Duma on sovereign Ukrainian territory and reaffirm our unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.”
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Franklin Paul)
