Putin to formulate his attitude to referenda in Ukraine's south-east on their results

RF President Vladimir Putin will formulate his attitude to the referenda, held on Sunday, on the status of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions, "on the strength of their results", presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper Kommersant.

What the RF President's decision will be "is difficult to forecast", Peskov added.

Asked by the newspaper whether Putin's attitude would be influenced by the fact that he himself had asked the federalization supporters to postpone the referendum until a later date, the presidential press secretary pointed out as follows: "Not asked but made such a recommendation". "However, it was difficult to heed the recommendation, even considering the RF President's prestige. Taking into account the real combat actions, the residents (there) had to act according to their own plan and proceeding from the actual situation," Peskov said.

The United States and the European Union (EU) have already declared that they do not recognize the results of voting on the status of Lugansk and Donetsk Regions and warned about the possibility of applying economic sanctions against the Russian Federation, if Ukraine's presidential elections, scheduled for May 25, get frustrated owing to the voting in Ukraine's east. Peskov described reproaches levelled at Russia by the USA and the EU as an "absolute folly".

"Why could not the West prevent the use of armoured personnel carriers in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk and avoid the gunning down of civilians? They did not use their influence and they do not give a hang while Russia is blamed for everything," he emphasized.