The leadership of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics as well as the liberated Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions made a decision to hold referendums on joining Russia. All four regions held the vote on September 23-27. The voting was monitored by more than 100 international observers from 40 countries, including EU nations. According to preliminary results, the overwhelming majority of voters in all four regions supported their accession to Russia.
The Central Election Commission of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said it had processed all ballots cast during the referendum on joining Russia, and over 99% of voters supported the accession.
According to the final results of the referendum, verified by the DPR CEC, a total of 99.23% of the republic’s residents approved of becoming a part of Russia.
"A total of 2,115,800 people gave a positive answer, 4,938 people - a negative one. A decision has been made to approve the results of the referendum," CEC Chair Vladimir Vysotsky said.
A total of 98.42% of voters in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) have supported accession to Russia, the republic’s Central Election Commission said after all ballots had been counted.
The final results were displayed on a screen in the Lugansk-based House of the Government.
According to LPR CEC chief Yelena Kravchenko, "a total of 1,636,302 voters said ‘yes,’ while 16,555 said ‘no.’"
"The referendum is valid," she declared. "We are now witnessing a truly historic event."
The Zaporizhzhia Region has de-facto seceded from Ukraine and filed a request to become a region of Russia, the head of the region’s military-civilian administration Yevgeny Balitsky said on Tuesday.
"Today’s referendum accomplished the Zaporizhzhia Region’s secession from Ukraine. We are now waiting for the Russian government’s decision, as they are yet to accept us into Russia. We have already lodged this request," Balitsky told reporters.
ZZ/PR
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