Russia will not send observers to the election in Ukraine.
For security reasons, Russia will not send its representatives to the OSCE Office for Democratic Mechanisms and Human Rights observer mission to the elections in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine's Verkhovnaya Rada on Thursday adopted a law banning Russian representatives from working as observers in Ukraine's elections on March 31.
The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Structures and Human Rights, Solrun Gisladottir, previously stated that not accepting Russian citizens into the mission to monitor the presidential elections in Ukraine is an unprecedented move and contrary to the obligations of all OSCE member states.
 |
| Sputnik photo |
The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Moscow considers the refusal to recognize Russian observers a gross violation of universally accepted international obligations in the field of election procedures.
"Such a move significantly damages the image of the OSCE Office for Democracy and Human Rights, which has long considered itself a "golden vote" confirming the standards and principles of election monitoring. In fact, the Kiev authorities have completely erased these standards, once again blatantly demonstrating their contempt for international law and obligations. In this context, out of concern for the safety of our representatives of the OSCE mission, Russia has decided not to send observers to Ukraine," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The Ukrainian presidential election will take place on March 31.
