Voting begins in controversial Ukraine referendums


Donate
ANKARA (AA) – Voting began on Friday in controversial referendums in four Ukrainian regions.
Voting will run from Friday to Tuesday in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, with people asked to decide if they want these regions to become part of Russia.
Polls will be open from 8 a.m. (0500GMT) to 4 p.m. (1300GMT) in Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, while the closing time will be 8 p.m. (1700GMT) in Donetsk.
For security reasons, in-person voting will only take place on the last day, Sept. 27, while the other days will see ballots being organized in communities and conducted door-to-door, according to local media reports.
Separatist-controlled Luhansk and Donetsk, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which are partly under Russian control, announced plans for the referendums earlier this week.
The decision has been widely condemned by the international community, with European states and the US terming them “sham” referendums and saying they will not be recognized.
POST YOUR COMMENTS
MAORANDCITIES.COM uses both Facebook and Disqus comment systems to make it easier for you to contribute. We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. All comments should be relevant to the topic. By posting, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, name-calling, foul language or other inappropriate behavior. Please keep your comments relevant and respectful. By leaving the ‘Post to Facebook’ box selected – when using Facebook comment system – your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the Facebook comment box to report spam or abuse. You can also email us.