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Kremlin says Moscow believes 'extremely important' who will lead Donbass republics

Peskov refused to answer questions about Russia’s recognition of the results of the upcoming elections

MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/. Moscow’s influence on the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) is not boundless and it is important for it who will be at the head of these republics, Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday commenting on the upcoming elections in the DPR and LPR.

"Moscow does have influence on the leaders of these republics but this influence is not boundless," he said, adding that "it is extremely important" who will be at the heads of these republics.

The DPR and LPR will elect their heads and parliaments on November 11, 2018. However, Kiev and a number of Western countries have refused to recognize the republics’ right to hold these polls.

As many as 408 polling stations will be opened next Sunday in the DPR. Contenders for the post of the republic’s head are Denis Pushilin, Elena Shishkina, Roman Khramenkov, Vladimir Medvedev and Roman Yevstifeyev. Two public movements - the Donetsk Republic and Free Donbass - will vie for seats in the republic’s People’s Council, or legislatures.

Peskov refused to answer questions about Russia’s recognition of the results of the upcoming elections. He said it’s better to wait for these results at first.

"It is not right of Ukraine to say that the elections in the DPR and LPR run counter to the Minsk accords," Peskov said. "I don’t think it should because the deplorable situation with the implementation of the Minsk package has been triggered by Kiev’s unwillingness to implement the Minsk agreements that cannot be interpreted in any way as they are committed to paper unequivocally and are signed by President [of Ukraine Pyotr] Poroshenko among others."

"The situation has been seriously aggravated by the tragic developments, numerous terror attacks in Donbass against those who now stand at the head of the republic," he added.

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Donetsk Dmitry Peskov

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