The Minsk agreement had called for devolved power and local provisional elections in separatist-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk "in accordance with the law of Ukraine."
Reporting on the ground from RT (Russia Today)
RT's Middle East bureau chief reporting from Donetsk:
Actual OSCE:
Separatists confirm video of man sentenced to death by "People's Court"
BBC's Russian Service reports that Ukraine separatists have confirmed the authenticity of a video released on October 29 that shows a crowd sentencing two men to death by a show of hands in a "people's court."
One of the two -- who were both apparently accused of rape -- decided to go to the front lines in the battle against Ukrainian troops so he could "die with honor," according to the BBC.
A marvelous collection of photos by Evgeny Feldman. They may be self-declared republics, but their people still vote with Ukrainian passports.
Moscow responds to reports of high turnout
Interfax Russian news agency, quoting Frants Klintsevich, deputy leader of the ruling United Russia's parliamentary faction.
"The propaganda machine had been running idle, failing to intimidate the people. Voter turnout is very high. The Donbas elections will become a historical fact in just a few hours,"
Several journalists on the scene have made this observation, but obviously hard to tell.
Earlier we reported on a rally against upcoming Russian health reforms. Dozhd TV reports that nearly 4,000 people turned out.
Video from earlier today of Aleksandr Zakharchenko, the self-styled "DNR" prime minister and the expected victor in today's vote, casting his ballot.
Usually dressed in military fatigues, Zakharchenko came today in a suit -- along with his wife and several armed men.