‘Referendums’ on joining Russia get under way in occupied Ukraine

Polls asking residents to vote for independence and join Russia condemned in west as illegitimate

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So-called referendums" are under way in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops, with residents told to vote on proposals for the four Ukrainian regions to declare independence and then join Russia.

The polls, hastily organised after being announced earlier in the week, are due to run until Tuesday. They have been widely condemned in the west as illegitimate, and appear to be a thin attempt to provide cover for illegal annexation of the regions by Moscow.