Shaheen, Ricketts Respond to Sham Elections in Russia

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, released the following joint statement in response to the sham elections in Russia over the weekend:

“Unsurprisingly the elections in Russia this weekend were clearly neither free not fair. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s inability to observe these elections proves Putin is not even trying to give the impression that he is running a legitimate democracy. We also refuse to recognize the sham elections in the occupied territories within Georgia and Ukraine, which undermine their sovereignty.

“The Russian people deserve a democracy that reflects their wishes, not one man’s imperialist agenda. After reportedly assassinating his chief political rival, Alexei Navalny, it’s clear there’s nothing Putin won’t do to maintain power. He is completely capable of rigging elections in his own country. Putin is a dangerous dictator who does not care about the Russian people and will hold onto power at all costs.”

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