Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the recent presidential election in Belarus, calling the vote "a farce" in a statement issued Jan. 27.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko "won" a seventh consecutive term as president on Jan. 26 in a so-called election widely denounced as neither free nor fair by the international community.
"It is difficult to call such elections fair, transparent and democratic, in particular given the political repression in Belarus, which deprived voters of any alternative choice and turned the elections themselves into a one-man political show," the ministry's statement read.
Elections under the repressive conditions of the Lukashenko regime "cannot be legitimate," the ministry said.
"It is a farce."
Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally. The Belarusian leader competed for the presidency against regime-approved candidates Sergey Syrankov, who secured 3.21% of the vote, and Oleg Gaidukevich, who received 2%.
Lukashenko was declared the winner with 86.82% of the vote, while 3.6% of ballots reportedly voted "against all."
Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat, called the vote "a sham" and "an affront to democracy."
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the election was nothing more than a "special operation" by the Russia-backed regime.
Tsikhanouskaya contested the results of the country's 2020 election, sparking mass protests after Lukashenko declared victory despite evidence of widespread fraud. The government brutally repressed the demonstrations and detained thousands of political prisoners.
The Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with Belarusian opposition figures and encouraged them to continue to fight for an independent Belarus.
"We are convinced that a democratic and sovereign Belarus, in which the people, not one person, will determine the future, will be a factor of long-term stability in our region, and not an accomplice in Russia's war against Ukraine," the ministry said.
Kate Tsurkan
