The armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine is now in its fifth year. More than ten thousand people have been killed, and the number increases each month. In 2014 and 2015 Russia, Ukraine and the two self-proclaimed "people's republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk signed two agreements that were intended to pave the way for a peaceful solution. These are commonly referred to as the Minsk agreements.

The self-proclaimed authorities in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic" have announced that they will hold elections on 11 November. If held as announced, the elections will be in breach of the Minsk Agreements' provisions on the organisation of elections.