In the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine (apart from Crimea), "referendums" began on Friday.

They are intended to prepare for the connection of the areas to Russia.

This applies to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, whose “People’s Republics” (DNR and LNR), created in 2014 and largely controlled by Russia, had only been recognized by Moscow as states three days before the war broke out, and for the largely occupied Zaporizhia and Cherson regions.

DNR media showed the ballot used there: “Are you in favor of DNR joining the Russian Federation with the status of a federal subject?” This can be voted yes or no.

Gerhard Gnauck

Political correspondent for Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania based in Warsaw.

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Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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The "head" of the DNR, Denis Puschilin, commented on the voting with the words: "Donetsk is coming home".

Politicians in Ukraine spoke of a "show".

Ukraine and the West do not want to recognize the new annexation – after Crimea in 2014.

The vote should run until Tuesday, for security reasons "in the area close to houses", i.e. apparently with mobile ballot boxes, and one day in polling stations.

About 200 polling stations have been set up in Russia for Ukrainians living there.

LNR media showed ballot boxes in a tent and on a bus.

Around noon, a high turnout was reported.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the procedure for connection could be quick if the vote was positive.

President Vladimir Putin had announced that he would defend the areas "by all means", which raised concerns about the use of nuclear weapons.

London's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly revealed the findings of the British secret services on Thursday evening.

He said in New York "that Russian government officials are setting standards for the fabricated voter turnout and approval rating in the sham referendums."

It should therefore be "more than 75 percent" yes votes.

The voting slips were printed in Russia.

According to the Russian script, Moscow would first recognize the independence of Kherson and Zaporizhia;

it had already done so for the two “People's Republics”.

By the end of the month, all four areas are to be included in the Russian Federation.

Moscow will then describe any attempt by Ukrainian forces to liberate the areas as an "invasion of Russia," Cleverly said.

Western representatives explained on Friday that this official red line serves as a deterrent, but that the actual red line is drawn more narrowly internally.

Only parts of the territory controlled by Russia are strategically important for Moscow.

This applies above all to the Crimean peninsula.