The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the "presidential elections" held by the Russian Federation in Georgia, in the occupied territory of the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, reads the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says that the "elections" are aimed at legitimizing the occupation of part of Georgia's sovereign territory by the Russian Federation and that the so-called voting is against international law and will have no legal consequences.

"Given that the Russian military continues to invade Ukraine, the conduct of illegal elections in the occupied territories of Georgia by Russia can significantly worsen the security situation in the Black Sea region and create a further basis for new aggression against Georgia," reads the statement.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has once again called on the international community to increase sanctions against Russia in order to hold it accountable for gross violations of the UN Charter and other norms of international law.

The so-called presidential elections were held in the occupied Tskhinvali region yesterday. The candidates in the so-called elections were the following: the incumbent de facto president Anatoly Bibilov; Alexander Pliev, "vice-speaker" of the so-called parliament; Alan Gagloev, leader of the Nikhas political party; Gary Muldarov, member of "parliament"; and Dmitry Tasoev, former member of "parliament".