Russian presidential election: countries condemn unilateral declaration of annexation in areas. Russia's Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Polyansky criticized this as interference in internal affairs at a UN Security Council meeting.
"We call on Russia to end illegal elections in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine," and called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. Earlier, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres also issued a statement saying, 'I condemn the efforts to hold presidential elections in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine'