TASS quotes Donetsk rebel leader Denis Pushilin as describing Ukrainian President Poroshenko's suggestion that Kyiv would be reexamining its strategy vis-a-vis the breakaway regions as "hysteria."
"This looks more like Kiev's hysteria. The point is that elections passed with a high voter turnout and all observers noted that polls were valid. In this situation Kiev will exert different types of pressure. We are waiting for a meeting of the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, but hope that Kiev politicians will have enough common sense to start talks with leaders of the Donetsk People's Republic which people placed trust in," Pushilin said.
Today's map from the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council:
Meanwhile, at the "inauguration" ceremony in downtown rebel-held Donetsk:
Our newsroom reports that Poroshenko's meeting with Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council is scheduled to start at 2:00 3:00 p.m. UTC.
From our newsroom:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has criticized the separatist elections in eastern Ukraine as "unfortunate and counterproductive" and called on all parties to recommit to the Minsk peace process.
Aleksandr Zakharchenko has been sworn in by separatists in Donetsk as head of the self-styled "Donetsk People's Republic," citing results of the voting on November 2.
Kyiv and Western governments have dismissed the votes in Donetsk and Luhansk as illegitimate.