None of the sources used by Sputnik are signatories to the declaration of principles for international election observation and code of conduct for international elections observations www.ndi.org/declaration_endorsing_orgs. Sputnik does not mention the statement by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights election observation mission to Russia, which states that the Russian presidential election was well administered, but characterized by restrictions on fundamental freedoms and a lack of genuine competition www.osce.org/odihr/elections/375661.

The European Union does not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and therefore does not recognise the holding of elections in the Crimean peninsula. The OSCE/ODIHR observers did not conduct any activities in these illegally-annexed territories, participation of EU Member States' diplomats in observation activities within the framework of the OSCE/ODIHR EOM was also limited to the recognised territory of the Russian Federation. The EU remains unwavering in its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/41606/statement-presidential-elections-russian-federation_en