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Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 11:34
Russia abandons plan to send observers to Ukraine's presidential poll
By Xinhua
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 11:34 By Xinhua

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko takes a selfie with students during his visit to the university in Kiev, Ukraine, March 25, 2019. (MYKOLA LAZARENKO / PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE POOL PHOTO / AP)

MOSCOW — Russia is forced to abandon its plan of sending observers to monitor the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday. 

Short-term observers conduct monitoring only on the election day, while long-term members track the entire course of the electoral process

The Central Election Commission of Ukraine had refused to accredit 24 Russian citizens to monitor the March 31 presidential election as part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission, it said. 

In February, Ukraine refused to accredit two Russian women who were heading to the country as long-term observers of the OSCE mission. 

ALSO READ: Moscow slams Kiev for plan to ban Russian observers from poll

Short-term observers conduct monitoring only on the election day, while long-term members track the entire course of the electoral process before, on and after the polling day. 

Later in February, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) invited Russian short-term observers to Ukraine, which has been in conflict with Russia since 2014 due to Crimea and Donbass. 

READ MORE: Ukraine cites massive buildup of Russian forces along border

Russia accepted the invitation, but now it has decided to abstain from sending observers even for a short term. 

The ministry expects the ODIHR, despite the absence of Russian observers, to be able to provide the international community with an objective, reliable and honest picture of the election in Ukraine.

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