MOSCOW, May 15 (RIA Novosti) – A report by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has ignored the referendums held by Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions on self-determination, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Thursday.
“The OSCE’s report made a passing mention of those referenda [Luhansk and Donetsk Regions], and did not even mention a voting was held…ignoring such a great event is certainly, absolutely inadmissible,” Lukashevich said.
The Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics in eastern Ukraine declared themselves sovereign states on Monday, following May 11 referendums on self-determination. Almost 90 percent of voters endorsed political independence from Kiev.
Donetsk is planning to ask Moscow to join Russia. The Luhansk leadership has also said it does not rule out the possibility of a referendum on becoming part of Russia.
Both republics have begun establishing government agencies, with leaders stating that they would not take part in the upcoming May 25 presidential election.
Moscow said it respected the will of the people in Ukraine’s southeastern provinces and hoped the regime in Kiev would do the same. The US and EU have denounced the results of the vote.
