Citizens of the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine are electing their leaders and MPs. They hope the elections will legitimize their self-proclaimed republics, and that they will be recognized by Kiev, reports GHN based on RT.
As soon as the polling stations opened at 8 am on Sunday morning, high voter activity was noted in both the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. After presenting valid, local registration, voters get two ballots: one for the parliamentary election and one to vote for the future leaders of the republics.
There are over 360 polling stations in Donetsk, where potentially more than three million voters can cast their votes. Armed militia members are guarding each polling station. In the Lugansk People's Republic, there are 102 polling stations for approximately 1.5 million voters.
The area in Donetsk where the Central Election Committee is situated is being heavily guarded, with all surrounding streets cordoned off.
Lugansk has seen queues at some polling stations, as large number of voters came to cast their votes early in the morning.
"Our opinion was simply ignored [by Kiev authorities] when we took part in the [independence] referendum [in May], now it's time to take the people's will into account; that's why I have come today to cast my vote," one voter in Donetsk told the Itar-Tass news agency.
In Russia's neighboring Belgorod, Rostov and Voronezh regions, where thousands of refugees from Donetsk and Lugansk are currently living, polling stations have also been set up.
Observers from a number of countries, including France, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Great Britain and others are monitoring the elections. However, observers from the OSCE are not attending.
In Donetsk, there are three candidates for leader, including acting Prime Minister Aleksandr Zakharchenko. He was among the very first to cast his vote, and he told journalists that after the election Kiev would have to deal with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic as equal.