12:28
11.5.2014
12:25
11.5.2014
In Maruipol, the scene of deadly clashes in the last week, officials said only eight polling places had been set up for a city with a population of some 500,000 people.
12:25
11.5.2014
This from our Central Newsroom:
Fighting was reported in the separatist stronghold of Slovyansk early on May 11 as insurgents attacked a television tower being guarded by Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine said one soldier was injured in the attack.
Serhiy Pashinskyy, head of Ukraine's acting presidential administration, said Ukrainian security forces had "destroyed" a separatist base and some checkpoints outside Slovyansk and the nearby city of Kramatorsk in response to the attack on the TV tower.
Fighting was reported in the separatist stronghold of Slovyansk early on May 11 as insurgents attacked a television tower being guarded by Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine said one soldier was injured in the attack.
Serhiy Pashinskyy, head of Ukraine's acting presidential administration, said Ukrainian security forces had "destroyed" a separatist base and some checkpoints outside Slovyansk and the nearby city of Kramatorsk in response to the attack on the TV tower.
12:20
11.5.2014
Interfax quotes Ukrainian presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko as calling the referendums unlawful, pointing out that the premises for holding the referendums had been illegally seized and ballots filled out in advance.
"A truck was stopped near Slovyansk which contained 100,000 ballots ticked in favor of the separation of the Donetsk region from Ukraine," she said. "I believe this is a tragedy that was imposed on us and we must definitely stop it."
"A truck was stopped near Slovyansk which contained 100,000 ballots ticked in favor of the separation of the Donetsk region from Ukraine," she said. "I believe this is a tragedy that was imposed on us and we must definitely stop it."
12:11
11.5.2014
To the sound of inspirational music, voters in Donetsk tell RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that they are "sick and tired" of the government in Kyiv and want better living conditions for the region. And one man explains why he has multiple ballots:
11:53
11.5.2014
11:43
11.5.2014
11:42
11.5.2014
11:38
11.5.2014
11:23
11.5.2014
Residents of three Ukrainian cities spokes to Reuters as they cast their ballots:
Slovyansk resident Nikolai:
"Well, we want an independent republic. Other than that, we don't want anything. The difference? Our own language, that's one. Being able to sort our own problems, that's two. That's all we want."
Slovyansk resident Svetlana:
"Of course I'm going to vote so that we have a federal structure. I don't recognize these authorities [in Kyiv]. They are a junta. They came to power through banditry."
Donetsk resident Yevgeny Belashov:
"We will create our own state, a federal one. Then we will join Russia."
Donetsk resident Arkady:
"Yes, [I voted] just like everybody -- for separation from Ukraine -- so they won't order us around and won't send bandits here."
Luhansk resident Lyudmila:
"I voted just OK -- for independence. ... We are not against the people. We are against the government [in Kyiv] that rules us now. But our people are great.
Slovyansk resident Nikolai:
"Well, we want an independent republic. Other than that, we don't want anything. The difference? Our own language, that's one. Being able to sort our own problems, that's two. That's all we want."
Slovyansk resident Svetlana:
"Of course I'm going to vote so that we have a federal structure. I don't recognize these authorities [in Kyiv]. They are a junta. They came to power through banditry."
Donetsk resident Yevgeny Belashov:
"We will create our own state, a federal one. Then we will join Russia."
Donetsk resident Arkady:
"Yes, [I voted] just like everybody -- for separation from Ukraine -- so they won't order us around and won't send bandits here."
Luhansk resident Lyudmila:
"I voted just OK -- for independence. ... We are not against the people. We are against the government [in Kyiv] that rules us now. But our people are great.