Russia stokes unrest in east Ukraine by backing rebel poll
Russia and Ukraine were on a renewed collision course last night after the Kremlin endorsed imminent elections in rebel-held areas of east Ukraine that President Poroshenko described as a “threat to the entire peace process”.
Although hundreds of people have been killed in the region since a nominal ceasefire between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government forces began on September 5, the intensity of the conflict has dropped, and Moscow and Kyiv have emphasised the need for a political settlement.
Russia recognised the parliamentary elections held in the rest of Ukraine on Sunday. Without the votes of more than 5 million