Akhmetov and Boyko may run Donbass only through elections, if they receive people’s support – Poroshenko

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that businessman Rinat Akhmetov could run certain districts of Donetsk region only by taking part in the elections as provided by the Minsk agreements and winning them. He said that to journalists in Kramatorsk, commenting on the publication of the Zerkalo Nyedyeli about possible appointment of Rinat Akhmetov and leader of the Opposition Bloc Yuriy Boyko heads of separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"As a joke:" Yes, I won but not in the lottery, in something else, and I didn’t win but lost. "Recovery of Ukrainian sovereignty in occupied Donbass should take place through the election procedure. If someone whose hands are not covered in blood and has Ukraine in the heart, takes a decision to participate in the elections and to be elected by the people of Donbass, we will work together to improve the situation in Donbass, solve social issues, infrastructure issues,"- said the President.

"If Mr. Akhmetov and Mr. Boyko decide to run for, win the election and get the support of Donbass, it will be the choice of Donbass people," - he said.

The President said "neither journalists nor politicians, no one should point out whom to choose and not to choose because we will never return Donbass through this mechanism."

"I emphasize that the recovery should not go through the appointment of the military administration but the elections," - summed up Poroshenko.