MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. The legitimacy of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky holds no weight for the people of Donbass, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) head Denis Pushilin said on the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Ukraine is actively debating the legitimacy of the government in the absence of parliamentary and presidential elections, which cannot be held during martial law. On February 25, the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk, said that the powers of the incumbent president expire after the newly elected head of state takes office, so Zelensky "will continue to perform his duties."

"Whatever Ivanov or Petrov they put in there, not much would change. Ukraine has lost the opportunity to develop normally. <...> Zelensky's legitimacy [is in question]. He needs some activity; he needs some changes. These are political machinations, nothing more. And if we speak in practical terms, whether anything will change or whether there will be any steps with regard to Donbass, it will change nothing for us," Pushilin said.

He emphasized that keeping Zelensky in power will not help the Ukrainian people. According to Pushilin, the Ukrainian president has started personnel purges in the higher echelons of power in order to divert public attention.