Russians appointed so-called "heads" of the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine

Denis Pushilin has been appointed the so-called "head" of the temporarily occupied Donetsk region, and Leonid Pasechnik - the "head" of the temporarily occupied Luhansk region.

Representatives of the occupation authorities wrote about this on their Telegram channels.

In addition, Vladimir Saldo was appointed the "head" of the Kherson region, and Yevgeny Balitsky was appointed the “head” of the Zaporizhzhia region.

Recently, the Russians held so-called "elections" to the "legislative assembly" - a collaboration "local council" - in the temporarily occupied territories. Ukrainian authorities reported pressure and coercion of the local population to vote. 

The National Resistance Centre identified more than 1,400 collaborators who took part in the organisation of the fake elections.

Ukraine will try Pushilin and Pasechnik in absentia for encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. Saldo will be tried for high treason and collaboration. Yevheny Balitsky was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for collaboration.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, called on international partners not to recognise the so-called 'elections'.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that the EU condemns and does not recognise the so-called "elections" in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The same position was expressed by the Council of Europe, the UN, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and others.