Russian Foreign Ministry Says OSCE ODIHR Report On Ukrainian Vote 'Politically Colored'

The interim report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Ukraine's presidential election contains politically motivated conclusions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Thursday

ST.PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th April, 2019) The interim report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Ukraine's presidential election contains politically motivated conclusions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Thursday.

Ukraine held its presidential election on March 31. Volodymyr Zelensky won 30.24 percent, while incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko secured 15.95 percent. Since no candidate gained the 50 percent majority, the second round will take place on April 21.

"It is clear that despite all the objectivity claims, the ODIHR report was politically colored.

This is not new, we know about the lack of organization in the ODIHR's work, and the report has every opportunity to be determined by political expediency rather than observation. With regard to the factual part, it was correct, all the listed shortcomings did occur," the diplomat said.

Grushko also recalled "gross violations" related to Ukraine failing to fulfill its OSCE obligations by banning Russian observers and denying the right to vote to Ukrainians residing in Russia and Donbas.