MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) — Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has documented attempts by the Ukrainian authorities to disrupt the ongoing elections, the press service of the DPR's government told RIA Novosti Sunday.
"On November 1 at 17:30 local time [14:30 GMT] Ukrainian punitive troops on the orders from the Kiev 'junta' blocked the roads leading to the territory of the DPR … to stop those wishing to take part in the vote on November 2," the press service of the DPR's government said.
According to the press service, there were other cases as well. Several well-armed groups of the Dnipro-1 volunteer battalion, part of the Ukrainian National Guard, tried to enter the region in order to destabilize the situation and disrupt the elections, but were stopped by the DPR's special forces.
According to the Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the DPR Roman Lyagin, the turnout at the elections is high.
"The turnout is high, no procedural violations were recorded. Everything is good," Lyagin stated.
Nevertheless, Lyagin has noted that there were several attacks registered on the election day.
"In the Leninsky district the shelling was quite active, but for us it is already something common, we do not pay attention to it," Lyagin said.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) are conducting elections of their regional leaders and legislative bodies on November 2.
In April, Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation in the country's southeast, where independence supporters refused to accept the new government that was put in power following a coup in February.
Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine held referendums this May on self-determination. Over 90 percent of the voters cast their votes for greater autonomy. The territories declared themselves sovereign states as a result.
