Pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk held elections on Sunday, to directly elect presidents and parliaments.
The elections have been slammed as illegitimate by the EU, Nato and the US who have vowed not to recognise the results. "We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local 'elections' on Sunday," said the White House in a statement on Friday.
Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, referred to the elections as “the pseudo-elections that terrorists and bandits want to organise on occupied territory”.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the elections, stating that a ceasefire agreed in September allowed for elections that were "in co-ordination with, not in line with" Ukrainian plans.
Roman Lyagin, election commission chief of the Donetsk region, told AFP, "these elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev."
The vote comes amid a shaky ceasefire between the separatists and Ukraine, with the Ukrainian army saying that 7 soldiers had been killed and 10 wounded in fighting during the last 24 hours.
At least 3,700 people have been killed in Eastern Ukraine so far, since pro-Russian separatists began taking over government offices in April.
The elections have been slammed as illegitimate by the EU, Nato and the US who have vowed not to recognise the results. "We deplore the intent of separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine to hold illegitimate so-called local 'elections' on Sunday," said the White House in a statement on Friday.
Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, referred to the elections as “the pseudo-elections that terrorists and bandits want to organise on occupied territory”.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the elections, stating that a ceasefire agreed in September allowed for elections that were "in co-ordination with, not in line with" Ukrainian plans.
Roman Lyagin, election commission chief of the Donetsk region, told AFP, "these elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kiev."
The vote comes amid a shaky ceasefire between the separatists and Ukraine, with the Ukrainian army saying that 7 soldiers had been killed and 10 wounded in fighting during the last 24 hours.
At least 3,700 people have been killed in Eastern Ukraine so far, since pro-Russian separatists began taking over government offices in April.