OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will not recognize the results of elections held this week by Russian authorities in occupied parts of Ukraine.
Trudeau condemned the elections in a statement through his office today, calling them a "sham."
He says the elections are "a cynical attempt to legitimize military conquest under the guise of democracy," and a violation of international law.
Local elections for Russian-installed legislatures began earlier this week in the regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
They are scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
The votes have been denounced by Kyiv, the Council of Europe and other countries in the West.
-- With files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2023.
