Moscow-Sana
Voting centers in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions opened their doors this morning to receive citizens and participate in the referendum on joining Russia, after voting during the previous four days took place from homes for security reasons.
The polling process takes place today, according to the Russian and local media in the aforementioned regions, from eight in the morning local time to four in the afternoon, and as soon as the polling stations close, the counting of votes will begin, and data for opinion polls will appear upon exit.
According to Russia Today, according to preliminary data released yesterday evening, the participation rate in the Donetsk Republic was 86.89 percent, in Luhansk 83.61 percent, in Kherson 63.58 percent, and in Zaporozhye 66.43 percent.
In turn, Leonid Pasichnik, President of the Lugansk Republic, said during the vote in the referendum: The vast majority of the population of the republic voted in favor of joining the Russian Federation, explaining that "the percentage of voting participants is almost overwhelming, and the vast majority writes yes we want to join Russia."
The vote is taking place amid Kyiv regime forces’ continued bombing of residential areas in the city of Donetsk, where, according to its mayor, Alexei Kolymzin, the city was subjected to 115 bombing attacks during the first three days of the referendum, and the number of victims throughout the territory of the Republic during the previous four days of the referendum reached two dead and 18 injured, as a result of the attacks Ukrainian.
The employees of the referendum committees in Donetsk confirmed that they are ready to deal with the provocations of the Ukrainian forces, and that if the bombing starts, the voters will be transferred to the shelters.
The Central Election Commission of Russia reported that more than 100 international observers from 40 countries participate in observing the referendum vote, while many observers emphasized the good organization of the referendum and the voluntary and transparent nature of the vote.
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