adminDONETSK. — Voters went to the polls across much of Ukraine yesterday, despite a recent wave of deadly violence in the East and threats by pro-Russia separatists to prevent citizens from casting their ballots.The unrest has centred in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where separatists have claimed independence following a disputed referendum earlier this month — and many there will not get to cast ballots. As of yesterday morning, some 528 polling sites out of 2 430 were open in the Donetsk region, the regional administration said. Local officials said there was 11,8 percent turnout at these polling stations.
Outside the county’s restive East, voting was progressing more normally. The Central Election Commission put voter turnout at nearly 38 percent as of 3pm local time, not including the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine’s official Ukrinform news agency reported. In the city of Donetsk, the regional capital where pro-Russia militias are concentrated, there are no open polling stations, local officials said earlier.
A CNN team driving through the city yesterday morning was not able to see a single polling station in operation. However, there were signs some voters were trying to go to polling stations in areas west and south of the city. A large separatist rally was held in a central Donetsk city square around lunchtime. The protesters, who chanted pro-Russia slogans as they were addressed by separatist leaders, were joined by a substantial number of militants on trucks, some firing guns into the air. — CNN.
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