Referendum so far:chronicles of the big day

he big day in the history of People’s republic has started with crowds pouring in right from the morning. Smiling and happy, people kept coming non-stop, ready to decide their own fate and showing probably the highest attendance in the past 23 years.

The poll still continues, but here are some snapshots of it.

10 am.

The voting poll in Luhansk and Donetsk regions is officially on. Question of the day — autonomy from the central government in Kiev. Despite non-stop threats and growing tension in the past few days, people are determined to make it happen.
Slavyansk is still hot from the previous night gunfire. According to media of junta, their units positioned near Mt Karachun came under severe attack.

10.35

High attendance causes long queues. Some voting stations have security provided by self-defense forces. Referendum ballots are printed in two languages — Russian and Ukrainian.

11.00

Breaking news from oligarch Renat Ahmetov. Previously quiet, he has delivered some interesting points through his holding group «Metinvest»:

1) . Metinvest Holding calls all those responsible to declare all military actions in Mariupol and other Donbass cities as fatal errors. We expect all government representatives to withdraw all armed units and start a productive dialogue with people in order to reach a political compromise.

2) We announce formation of volunteer guard units, involving workers of our iron-and-steel enterprises. Tomorrow they will start their work, which is primarily maintaining law and order in Mariupol.

All these blurred lines, nevertheless, are supposed to serve as a warning to the forces who plan to turn South East into wreck and ruin.

12.20

Donetsk: a queue 2 km long in from one of the voting stations.

Mariupol is having tough time handling all voters: 400 000 of people got only 8 stations to go to.

Venezuela announces present Kiev government illegitimate.

Queues in Moscow — there is a voting station for those who are registered in Luhansk or Donetsk regions but live in Moscow.

Analysis of last night’s crackdown in Slavyansk. Some say junta lost more than 200 people.

13.10

Citizens of Crimea hold peaceful marches in support of referendum.

Junta’s media continue a waterfall of disinformation: according to them, people are ignoring the referendum, the ATO is coming to a final, crucial stage (they have «almost done it» at least 5 times for the past month).

Luhansk: reports of new army units with ammunition encircling Luhansk (helicopters, ACPs and soldiers are seen near various cities).

13.40

Kiev junta officially announces the final stage of ATO. Translated into normal language, it may mean only beginning of a real war — with heavy artillery, air bombardment and other indiscriminate weapons.

Luhansk self-defense forces assure they are doing everything possible to prevent active movements of junta units.

13.55

Quite a few cities have reached the 50% attendance margin. Mariupol and Slavyansk show 20% attendance, due to recent military actions and insufficient amount of polling stations.

Novoaydar: a small town comes under attack of junta forces. Common people and self-defence forces are trying to fight back and prevent ACPs from going to Luhansk.

The day is not yet over. Follow us for the updates on today’s event.

Video № 1. Mariupol. People tell in an interview to Graham Phillips, that they have come to vote because they don’t want to be under a bunch of criminals in Kiev who keep terrorizing them.

Video № 2. A district in Mariupol.

Video № 3. Mariupol, voters queuing up to cast the ballots

Video № 4. Donetsk, a polling station set up in the school № 37

Video № 5. Donetsk, school № 32

Видео № 6. Donetsk, polling station in Kalininsky dt.