EU and Ukraine Sanction Officials Over Russia's Sham Elections

• •Ukraine sanctioned 44 individuals for involvement in Russia's sham elections.
• •The EU sanctioned 10 Russian officials for barring the Yabloko anti-war party.
• •Both Ukraine and the EU consider the elections in occupied territories illegal.

Ukraine has enacted sanctions against 44 individuals involved in Russia's illegal parliamentary elections held in occupied territories from September 18-20, 2026. The sanctions target those who facilitated the occupation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea. Ukraine considers these elections illegal, citing mass falsifications and forced voting. Concurrently, the EU has agreed to sanction 10 Russian officials linked to the repression of the Yabloko anti-war party, which was barred from participating in the elections. The EU's sanctions also include individuals involved in the abduction of over 20,000 Ukrainian children. The EU aims to finalize additional sanctions against 77 individuals connected to the sham elections by October 12, 2026. Both Ukraine and the EU emphasize that the elections do not grant legitimacy to Russia's claims over the occupied territories.