Eastern Ukraine: Acting "Presidents" Win Elections

As expected, the presidential elections prevailed in elections in the rebel areas of eastern Ukraine, which the West has described as illegal. In the pro-Russian "People's Republic", Donetsk Denis Puschilin arrived after counting almost all the votes to 61%, as announced today by the local electoral committee. In the Luhansk region, Leonid Pasetschnik was confirmed with 68% of the vote.

Puschilin, 37, has long been in the Donetsk "People's Republic" since his predecessor, Alexander Zakharchenko, was killed in an attack in August. Pasetschnik, 48, took over the case in Luhansk from Igor Plotnitsky, who was overthrown in November 2017. Both promised during the election campaign to establish closer relations with Moscow.

The EU and the US had rejected the elections in the Donbbad industrial zone, in violation of the Minsk peace agreement. Federica Mogherini, head of EU foreign policy, said the EU would not recognize the result.