Ukrainian President celebrates the failure of the ‘pro-Russian fifth column’

Following local and regional elections throughout Ukraine this past weekend, President Petro Poroshenko announced today at a press conference that the country voted responsibly, showing its support for what he called democratic forces and reforms. 

"The revenge of the undemocratic forces, who have been used so often to frighten us, didn't take place," Poroshenko said. "The [supposed] split in Ukrainian society never materialized, and Russia's attempt to plant a pro-Russian fifth column has failed."

According to Poroshenko, international and Ukrainian NGO election observers' main conclusion was that the state's "administrative resources" did not determine the outcome of voting. 

“[These elections] are vital for our plans to return to Ukraine the occupied territories of the Donbass, because the only way to do this is to go through democratic elections and show that we're capable of this,” Poroshenko explained.