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Ukrainian special services planning to undermine DPR elections, says ministry

The DPR Ministry of State Security said it had recieved "credible information" on the issue

DONETSK, November 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian special services are planning to undermine the upcoming elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) set to take place on November 11 by sending out text messages containing false information about their cancellation and threats of criminal liability for voting, the DPR Ministry of State Security informed on Friday.

"The DPR Ministry of State Security received credible information that the Ukrainian special services are preparing provocative information activities aimed at destabilizing the social and political situation in the republic and to undermine the election of DPR’s head and deputies of the People’s Council," the message states.

According to the ministry, the Ukrainian special services plan to send out text messages about the elections’ cancellation or postponement, citing the republic’s officials. "Besides, the Ukrainian side plans to use various intimidation tactics to scare off all participants of the election process, cynically singling out senior residents of the DPR and threatening them with criminal liability in Ukraine," the ministry added.

The DPR addressed the international community, urging them to evaluate the actions of the Ukrainian side.

On November 11, general elections will take place in the DPR and LPR. Voters will elect republican heads and members of the People’s Councils. The elections were called following DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko’s death in a terrorist attack. Russian Representative to the Contact Group Boris Gryzlov explained that the Package of Measures signed in Minsk concerned only municipal elections in Donbass, while the elections of the DPR and LPR heads were not municipal so they would not violate the Minsk process.

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