Doubts about Ukrainian election results will lead to new standoff - Naryshkin
MOSCOW. May 21 (Interfax) - The legitimacy of the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine could be challenged, should there be reasons to doubt its results, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin said.
"The legitimacy of the election amidst the military operation against civilians in the southeast of Ukraine, amidst suppression of dissent, the freedom of speech, the freedom of information, raises, of course, many serious questions," Naryshkin told a roundtable on Ukraine held in the State Duma on Wednesday.
"If in such a situation doubts also arise about the authenticity of the voting results, this could lead to a new stage of the standoff," Naryshkin said. "I would very much like to hope that the Kyiv authorities understand that," the speaker said.
The Ukrainian presidential election is due on May 25.