DPR Interim Head Denis Pushilin expressed his confusion over the UN Security Council discussion of the Donbass leadership elections in the absence of the DPR and LPR representatives.

"The fact that the Head and parliamentary elections in Donbass are being discussed at such a high level as the UN Security Council, called by the US, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Netherlands and Poland, but in the absence of the DPR and LPR representatives, causes confusion. I do not understand why these countries do not initiate meetings of the Security Council when innocent residents of Donbass die in Ukrainian shelling, when Ukraine strangles Donbass with blockades and does everything to derail the Minsk Agreements impeding the disengagement of forces and hardware, sabotaging prisoner swap, failing to implement the political part of the Minsk Agreements.

"There is no reaction from the West when these things happen.  After all, when Ukrainian saboteurs of the security service grossly murder the DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko, none of these or other Western countries expressed regret; they are not going to discuss the effect this murder had on the peace settlement. "

"Still, the Security Council decided to discuss the issue of elections in Donbass, though they do not contradict the Minsk Agreements in any way.

"This is despite the fact that the Package of Measures provides for coordination of the local elections between the sides, while neither the DPR nor the LPR have not held and are not planning yet to hold local elections.

"After Ukrainian Security service agents carried out the terrorist attack killing Zakharchenko, the Republic faced a problem of an early termination of the Head's office. We simply could not allow the power vacuum. To secure the continuity of the state governance we scheduled the elections of the Head and parliament.

"The Security Council has planned to discuss the elections in Donbass without the DPR and the LPR representatives, which is at least incorrect and inobjective.

"I sincerely hope that the UN Security Council will not follow the path of double standards typical for Western countries, the US in particular.

"I am sure, that the Russian Federation, member of the UN Security Council, will continue assist us on the diplomatic track and will apply effort to protect the interests of Donbass people.

"In any case, Donbass elections shall take place.

"They are to be transparent, open, compliant with our law and Constitution, and international standards." *ot