Russia's foreign ministry accuses Kiev of intimidating Donbass residents during Duma elections

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Ukraine's security services of trying to intimidate residents of the Donbass region during Russian State Duma elections, according to a report from TASS. The report notes that residents of the region participated in the Duma elections for the first time.

The claim reflects the ongoing dispute between Moscow and Kyiv over the status of Donbass territories, parts of which Russia has occupied and annexed since 2022 in moves not recognized by Ukraine or most of the international community. Russia has organized elections in these areas as part of its broader effort to integrate them administratively and politically into the Russian state.

Ukraine has consistently characterized elections held by Russia in occupied territories as illegitimate, given that they occur under military occupation and without the participation of displaced residents or independent international observation. The Russian foreign ministry's allegation of intimidation by Ukrainian security services was not accompanied by specific evidence in the cited report.

The first-time participation of Donbass residents in Duma elections underscores Russia's continued efforts to formalize its administrative control over the annexed territories, a process that has drawn sustained criticism from Ukraine and Western governments.

Independent verification of the Russian foreign ministry's claims was not available in the cited reporting.