Two pro-Russian separatists have been confirmed as leaders in disputed polls in eastern Ukraine, which the West say are illegal.
Monday 03 November 2014
Alexander Zakharchenko won more than 81% of the vote in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, in the polls criticised by the EU as a "new obstacle" to peace.
In the neighbouring Luhansk region, insurgent leader Igor Plotnitsky, a former Soviet army officer, was also on course for victory.
The acceptance of the results by Russia is set to further deepen the Cold War-style dispute between Moscow and the West, and raises the prospect of a fresh round of sanctions against the Kremlin.
Mr Poroshenko said the votes in the eastern Ukrainian rebel region of Donetsk and a separate one in Luhansk were "a farce, (conducted) under the barrels of tanks and machine guns".
He said the elections violated a deal signed on 5 September meant to end months of fighting between the separatists and Ukrainian troops.
But Mr Zakharchenko said: "Ukraine does not want peace, as it claims. Obviously it is playing a double game."
One voter, Sergei Kovalenko, 58, said: "We are citizens of Donetsk, and we don't want to live under the Kiev government that has turned its back on us."
Russia's Foreign Ministry said it "respects the will of the residents of southeast" Ukraine.
European foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: "I consider today's 'presidential and parliamentary elections' in Donetsk and Luhansk 'People's Republics' a new obstacle on the path towards peace in Ukraine.
"The vote is illegal and illegitimate, and the European Union will not recognise it."
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