Voting underway in Ukraine separatist elections

Voting began on Sunday in two pro-Russian separatist entities in eastern Ukraine in elections that Kyiv and the West have refused to recognize.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has described the polls in the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic" as "pseudo-elections" organized by "terrorists and bandits" that go against a September 5 truce deal signed by the separatists and Ukraine.

The European Union and the United States have joined Kyiv in its condemnation of the elections, which the separatists say will bring legitimacy to the military regimes that control the two territories.

Russia, which supports the rebels but denies fighting on their side, is the only country so far that has publicly promised to recognize the polls.

It has stuck by its decision despite a four-way phone call on Friday in which the leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw Moscow's endorsement.

"These elections are important because they will give legitimacy to our power and give us more distance from Kyiv," said Roman Lyagin, chief election official in the "Donetsk People's Republic."

Foregone conclusion?

No international election monitors are present at the vote. The separatists say that everyone in their territories is eligible to cast a ballot, including volunteer fighters from Russia and other countries.

The main candidates are the current leaders, Alexander Zakharchenko in Donetsk and Igor Plotnitsky in Luhansk. Both are almost certain to be confirmed in their posts, with the other candidates being relatively obscure.

Pro-Russian separatists have been waging a war against the government in Kyiv since April. More than 4,000 people have been killed, including more than 300 in the last two weeks.

Violence is likely to continue, with the rebels threatening to expand their offensive to the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Mariupol.

Polls opened at 0500 UTC and were due to close at 1700 UTC.

tj/jm (dpa, AFP)