KIEV, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Sunday's elections in insurgent-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine have not altered the situation in the conflict-hit region, the commander of the Ukrainian government's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Serhiy Nayev said on Wednesday.
"As for the overall situation -- nothing has changed for us," Nayev said in an interview with the government-run Ukrinform news agency.
When asked if the elections could further inflame the conflict, Nayev said the Ukrainian military will continue the policy of containment.
"We prioritize political and diplomatic means of the settlement because our Ukrainian citizens live in the occupied territories," Nayev said.
On Nov. 11, the conflict-hit Donetsk and Lugansk regions, together known as Donbas, elected new "presidents" and members of "parliaments" of the self-proclaimed republics.
Ukraine has voiced protest in the wake of the elections, saying that their results will be "null" and "void" and would have no legal consequences.
In April 2014, armed groups seized the cities and villages in eastern Ukraine and declared independence from Kiev. The Ukrainian army launched the "anti-terror" operation (ATO) against the insurgents.
In April this year, the government replaced the ATO, which was ruled by the State Security Service, with the army-led JFO.
