Elections in Ukraine during the war: why experts say it is impossible.

According to ТСН: Discussions about the possibility of holding elections in Ukraine are ongoing, but experts believe that in the context of war, ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process is practically impossible.

In an interview, Olga Kotsyuruba, a senior advisor to the Civil Network OPORA, noted this.

Constitutional Restrictions

The expert emphasized that according to the Constitution of Ukraine, voting is prohibited during martial law.

"Since Ukrainian elections must meet international standards and be free, fair, and genuine," she explained.

Security Issues

The main challenge is the inability to guarantee the safety of all participants in the electoral process, and this applies not only to election day.

Security risks encompass all stages:

• nominating candidates;
• conducting campaigning and meetings with voters;
• transporting ballots;
• the work of commission members and observers.

Democracy in Wartime

War imposes restrictions that are incompatible with democratic procedures. Curfews, constant air alarms, and security protocols complicate free campaigning and access to polling stations.

"It is precisely Russia's aggression that has made presidential, parliamentary, and local elections impossible," Kotsyuruba stressed.

She also noted that any attempts to hold voting under such conditions would merely be an imitation, not genuine elections in the international sense.

The President of Ukraine also emphasized that the main condition for holding elections is a ceasefire and the appropriate legislative framework.

Thus, the situation regarding possible elections in Ukraine remains complex, and this issue requires detailed discussion and analysis considering the current conditions. The timing and outcomes of peace negotiations will be decisive for the restoration of democratic processes in the country.