Here are some quick takeaways from an eventful day in Eastern Ukraine
-- As has already been widely reported, today's vote in Ukraine's separatist republics will not be recognized by the West. From the point of view of the leaders of the self-proclaimed "DNR" and "LNR" however, this may be irrelevant, because Moscow has given every indication that it will recognize them. In theory, this will allow Moscow to more publicly deal with the separatists as a government separate from Ukraine.
-- Drawing official turnout figures will be nearly impossible. Nonetheless, reports on the ground showed long lines of people and in interviews, many were less enchanted with separatist leaders than bitterly angry with Ukraine's leadership in Kyiv. The war in eastern Ukraine has taken a heavy toll and it is clear that many in Donetsk and Luhansk blame Ukraine.
-- In the weeks leading up to this vote, many had talked about it signaling the start of a long-running frozen conflict, with de-facto borders. However, reports that Russian military personnel and equipment are again entering Ukraine in large numbers may mean something altogether different. Separatist leaders have said they plan to reclaim lost territories and also the important port city of Mariupol. And its not just about land -- areas currently in Ukrainian control have resources that may be necessary to maintain viable services, including electricity.
-- Russia appears to be testing the West again. The vote today was a clear violation of the Minsk agreement, signed by Russia, which stipulated that early elections in separatist-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk would have to take place under Ukrainian law. Does the EU -- now distracted by other international events -- have the wherewithal to continue, and add to, the sanctions already in place against Russia? What is the EU prepared to do if Russia escalates the conflict militarily?
Expect to hear a lot like this from the Russian side. Aleksandr Kots, a pro-separatist journalist for the Russian "Komsomolskaya Pravda" tabloid tweets, "Donbas has legitimized its power."
In news from the rest of Ukraine, members of a group within the upstart Self Reliance party have announced that they will split off from the faction in parliament.
Barring any breaking events, this concludes our live blogging for the evening. Here's an overview of today's events from our news desk.
Just in from AFP:
Germany calls on Russia to respect "unity" of Ukraine after vote.
From Interfax:
Moscow Respects Choice Of Voters In Southeastern Ukraine
Moscow respects the choice made by people of southeastern Ukraine in the November 2 elections and is prepared to further support efforts aimed at settling the Ukrainian crisis.
"The elections in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were
well-organized in general and drew a high voter turnout. We respect the choice made by residents of the southeast," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the presidential and parliamentary polls in the Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) People's Republics.
"The elected representatives have received a mandate to tackle practical tasks in order to bring life in the republics back to normal," the ministry said.
"In the context of these elections, it is imperative to take active steps to establish a sustainable dialogue between the central Ukrainian authorities and representatives of Donbas in line with the Minsk agreements. We are ready to work together with our international partners and continue to make a constructive contribution to the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine," it said.