President Vladimir Putin will wait until the results of Ukraine's separatists referendums are known before deciding whether or not to recognize them, the Kremlin's spokesman was quoted as saying by a Russian media report.
"Forecasting [Putin's reaction] would be difficult," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about Putin's response to the Sunday balloting staged by pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine, Kommersant reported Monday.
Putin will choose his position about the votes based "on their results," Peskov was quoted as saying.
Putin made an unexpected statement last week, calling for separatists to postpone the balloting. The Ukrainian government and Western nations have denounced the referendum as illegitimate.
But Putin's recommendation "was difficult to heed, even considering the authoritativeness of the Russian president," Peskov was quoted as saying. Separatists "have decided to act according to their own plan and based on the situation on the ground," he said.
The head of the self-styled election commission in the "People's Republic" of Donetsk, Roman Lyahin, said that his panel has counted all the ballots and determined that more than 89 percent of voters cast ballots for the region's self-rule, Interfax reported. He placed voter turnout at nearly 75 percent.
Voter turnout in the Luhansk region reached more than 80 percent, local election commission spokesman Vasiliy Nikitin said, Itar-Tass reported Monday. He did not specify vote count results.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
