On Sunday Pro-Russian separatists in the self proclaimed peoples' republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in Eastern Ukraine go to the polls to elect heads of state and legislatures.
Kiev and its Western allies say the elections are contrary to bilateral agreements signed in September, and Moscow has angered them by saying it will recognize the results.
Jake Rashbass reports.
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Last Sunday, Ukraine went to the polls to elect a new parliament.
This Sunday, pro-Russian separatists in the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk who didn't vote in those elections are holding elections of their own.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon says he, "deplores" the planned elections, insisting they, "completely undermine" the Minsk protocol, which Kiev signed with the rebels in September.
Russia has come under criticism from the EU for saying it will recognize the rebel elections' results.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a statement:
[CLIP: Sergei Lavrov]
Sunday's elections won't be the only potential breach of September's Minsk protocol. Ukraine's military reported seven soldiers killed on Thursday, with many more injured during clashes with pro-Russian separatists, despite a supposed ceasefire being in place.
The Ukrainian economy has been damaged after months of fighting in the east. The World Bank expects Ukraine's GDP to shrink by 8% this year.
Some analysts in Russia say there is little hope of the economy picking up, even with Ukraine's newly elected parliament.
Here's Alexei Martynov, a political analyst:
[CLIP: Alexei Martynov]
The fact that the rebels are holding elections despite protests form Kiev shows that Kiev still has little jurisdiction over rebel-controlled areas, and fears are increasing that this could become another frozen conflict in a former Soviet state. After Russia's annexation of Crimea in March, it seems Ukraine may lose de facto sovereignty over another portion of its territory.