More from AFP:
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Russia Monday to respect "the unity of Ukraine" in the wake of elections held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"We will judge Russia and President [Vladimir] Putin on their statements that the unity of Ukraine cannot be called into question," Steinmeier said in a Twitter message.
From Interfax:
Moscow Respects Choice Of Voters In Southeastern Ukraine
Moscow respects the choice made by people of southeastern Ukraine in the November 2 elections and is prepared to further support efforts aimed at settling the Ukrainian crisis.
"The elections in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions were
well-organized in general and drew a high voter turnout. We respect the choice made by residents of the southeast," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the presidential and parliamentary polls in the Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) People's Republics.
"The elected representatives have received a mandate to tackle practical tasks in order to bring life in the republics back to normal," the ministry said.
"In the context of these elections, it is imperative to take active steps to establish a sustainable dialogue between the central Ukrainian authorities and representatives of Donbas in line with the Minsk agreements. We are ready to work together with our international partners and continue to make a constructive contribution to the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine," it said.
Just in from AFP:
Germany calls on Russia to respect "unity" of Ukraine after vote.
Barring any breaking events, this concludes our live blogging for the evening. Here's an overview of today's events from our news desk.
In news from the rest of Ukraine, members of a group within the upstart Self Reliance party have announced that they will split off from the faction in parliament.
Expect to hear a lot like this from the Russian side. Aleksandr Kots, a pro-separatist journalist for the Russian "Komsomolskaya Pravda" tabloid tweets, "Donbas has legitimized its power."