Separatists in Ukraine hold illegal vote, Russia recognizes its legitimacy

The separatists of the Donetsk People’s Republic held elections on Nov. 2 to determine their government. Voter turnout was between 70 and 75 percent, said on Nov. 2 Roman Liagin, the head of the Central Election Commission of the Donetsk People’s Republic, as reported by the Agence France-Presse news agency. More than 81 percent of voters cast their ballots for Aleksandr Zakharchenko as the head of the republic, while two civic organizations qualified for its parliament: the Donetsk Republic led by Zakharchenko earned 65 percent of votes and Free Donbas earned 35 percent. The Luhansk People’s Republic held a similar election with results not publicized as of this morning. The elections were monitored by Russian observers.

The election in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine don’t reflect the will of its citizens and grossly violate the Sept. 5 Minsk ceasefire protocols, said on Nov. 2 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Any elections on Ukrainian territory have to occur exclusively under Ukrainian law, he said. “The Minsk protocols provide for holding elections in certain regions of Donbas exclusively on the basis of Ukraine’s laws,” the president said. “That’s why the gross violation of international agreements threatens the peace process,” he said. “Ukraine will react to this challenge adequately.”

The elections held on Nov. 2 involved massive incidents of terror, intimidation, blackmail, kidnappings, vote-buying and forced labor, the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) and Interior Ministry reported on Nov. 3. Russian-terrorist forces pressured residents in the region to vote using arms and artillery and they used food products brought by the weekend’s Russian humanitarian convoy to buy votes, the report said. Residents of fighting age received draft notices while older residents were forced to dig trenches and build fortifications.

The Nov. 2 elections were illegal and illegitimate and won’t be recognized by the European Union (EU) government, said is Nov. 2 statement Federica Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. “These ‘elections’ were held contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Minsk protocol signed by the representatives of the trilateral contact group, and obstruct efforts to find a sustainable political solution to the crisis,” she said. “Early local elections in accordance with Ukrainian law, as foreseen in the Minsk protocol, are the legal and legitimate means of renewing the democratic mandate of the local authorities in these parts of Ukraine. I call on all sides to work towards such elections.” Legitimate early elections for local bodies are scheduled for Dec. 7.

The elections in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were held in an organized manner with a high voter turnout, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Nov. 2. “We respect the demonstration of will of the residents of the southeast,” the foreign ministry statement said. “The elected representatives gained a mandate to resolve practical tasks to renew normal life in the regions. Taking the elections into account, it’s of extreme importance to take active steps in ensuring a stable dialogue between the central Ukrainian government and Donbas representatives within the framework of the achieved Minsk agreements. We are ready to further constructively support dealing with the crisis situation in Ukraine with our international partners.”

The Russian government’s support for the separatist elections violate the Sept. 5 Minsk ceasefire protocols, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told the Bloomberg news agency on Nov. 2. The elections weren’t legitimate, he said.

Zenon Zawada: Russia’s recognition of the illegal vote only escalates its government’s confrontation with the West over Ukraine. It has sent the signal that it won’t back down, even amid the mounting pressure of sanctions and falling oil prices.

The elections could become a platform for a new round of Russian military aggression and expansion in Ukraine. Journalists reported this weekend the arrival of new Russian military vehicles that drove to the port city of Mariupol and the small Donetsk town of Debaltseve, which is the site of a key railway station. Both strategic sites are currently controlled by Ukrainian forces.