The European Union did not recognize the elections of the occupiers in Crimea and called them null and void

The European Union strongly condemns Russia's holding of so-called "elections" on the territory of Ukraine.

This is stated in the statement of the EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Petr Stano, on the regional elections and their inadmissibility in the Ukrainian territories.

The statement says that the aggressor country's holding of the so-called"elections" in Crimea on September 6-8 is another act of violation of international law, the UN Charter and the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

"The EU does not recognize these so-called 'elections' or their results in Crimea. They are null and void and cannot have any legal effect. The Russian leadership and those responsible for organizing these illegal actions will be brought to justice and will suffer the consequences," the statement reads.

Mr. Stano added that more than ten years after Russia's invasion and attempted illegal annexation of Crimea, the EU reiterates its position: Crimea is Ukraine.

"Referring to the UN General Assembly resolution of March 27, 2014, we call on Russia to stop its efforts to undermine the national unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the spokesman said.

"There is only one clear way out of this war: Russia will immediately end its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified aggressive war against Ukraine and withdraw all forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," the statement reads.

Earlier it was reported that on the eve of the Russian elections in the temporarily annexed Crimea, Russian security forces tried to intimidate Crimean Tatars. According to the head of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov on his Facebook page, they handed Crimean Tatar activists "warnings about the inadmissibility of breaking the law".