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UKRAINE: Elections Held By Separatists
In Donetsk and Luhansk separatists organized elections on the 2nd of November, Sunday. As a result, the two leaders- Aleksandr Zakharchenko in Donetsk and Igor Plotnitsky in Lugansk- who were unofficially leading the region before the elections were confirmed in their positions. However, these elections are not recognized by several entities, such as the other part of Ukraine and the United States. No international election monitors appeared at the election, this was monitored by some observers from Russia, Germany, as well as administrations in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh; as a response of the uncertainty of the voting procedure the organizers did not set a threshold as minimum presence at the elections.
The spokeswoman of the United States State Department, Jen Psaki declared: “The United States deplores and does not recognize yesterday’s so-called separatist elections in eastern Ukraine, nor do we recognize any of the leaders chosen in this illegal vote. If Russia were to recognize the so-called elections, it would only serve to isolate it further. ”
In contrast, the Russian statement said the following: “In view of the elections, it is extremely important to take active steps toward promoting sustained dialogue between central Ukrainian authorities and the representatives of the Donbass.”-therefore recognizing the elections in coordination with the previous elections in Ukraine.
The motivation of the separatists to hold the election is to strengthen their forces and develop after the referendum held in May in which they declared their independence from Ukraine. They say that after it no one can oblige them do accept the current political system in Ukraine, or the Ukrainian law. However, Angela Merkel declared that without being in accordance with the Ukrainian law, it can have no legal relevance. The referendum, similarly to the elections has not been accepted or recognized internationally.
Unfortunately, the voting ended in bloodshed between the government forces and the rebels, seven people were killed on the night of the separatist elections.
Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/russia-backs-ukrainians-separatists-election-26648964
http://time.com/3555707/white-house-russia-ukraine-rebel-elections/
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/02/russia-elections-ukraine-donetsk-lugansk
