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White House condemns elections in self-proclaimed Donetsk, Luhansk republics

Spokesman Mark Stroh said holding such elections contravenes Ukraine’s constitution and the Minsk protocol signed at the OSCE-mediated talks in early September

© EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

WASHINGTON, November 3. /TASS/. The US authorities have condemned Sunday’s elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council said.

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Moscow considers elections in eastern Ukraine valid — Russian Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Mark Stroh said holding such elections contravenes Ukraine’s constitution and the Minsk protocol signed at the OSCE-mediated talks in early September.

At Sunday’s elections, according to preliminary results the current prime minister of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, has received more than 70% of the votes. In the LPR, the winning candidate is the incumbent leader Igor Plotnitsky who has secured 63.17% of the votes.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday Moscow respects the will expression of the citizens of southeastern Ukraine. Russia considers the elections as a positive step towards settling the crisis in the country.

EU’s new foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said Brussels considers Sunday’s elections as illegitimate and will not recognize their results.

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