Czech senator confirms having monitored separatist elections in Luhansk

Czech Senator Jaroslav Doubrava has confirmed that he monitored the Luhansk separatist elections as an international observer. He claims he did not know who exactly invited him to join the international observer team saying that the invitation had been mediated by a friend of his. The senator, who was formerly a member of the Communist Party, told journalists it had been a private visit but admitted to having used his diplomatic passport. Kiev has called the separatist elections “a farce” and put the 18 observers from around Europe who monitored them on a persona non grata list in Ukraine.