Two separatist-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine announced the winners of leadership elections on Monday that were dismissed by Kiev and its international allies as a sham exercise engineered by Russia to install puppet regimes.
The polls took place on Sunday.
Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov congratulated the winners though a Kremlin spokesman later said he was not aware any congratulations had been extended.
The United States, European Union member states and Canada condemned the vote as illegal and in violation of a ceasefire agreed in Minsk in 2015.
Russia disputed that the elections violated the Minsk accord and instead blamed the Kiev authorities for failing to honour its commitments in the peace process.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was not aware any congratulations had been sent to the rebels, but added that it was understandable they wanted to hold elections.
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