Svetlana Pershenko mops sweat from her forehead as she waits on a bench outside her local election commission to pick up papers for the polling station in her village in strife-torn eastern Ukraine.
Sunday's election is the fifth the sturdy housewife will have helped organise but with army tanks stationed just a few kilometres (miles) away and heavily-armed separatists beyond them pledging to stop the vote she says it's a lot more difficult this time round.
"We hope it will happen and we'll do all we can to make sure that those who want to vote can vote but of course we're afraid of something bad happening," says Pershenko, the wall behind her plastered with posters of the various presidential candidates.
"On the day of the elections it will be very insecure as there are so many weapons around these days."
Krasnoarmiysk and the area around it is something of an oasis in the rebellion-hit region of eastern Ukraine.
Surrounded by heavily fortified Ukrainian military checkpoints, it is one of the areas now under tenuous government control after it was taken back not long ago from the rebels.
- 'Trying our best' -
Elsewhere separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic have sworn that the vote will not happen and sent in armed men to shut down election commissions and detain officials.
"I can only speak philosophically, every day people die and every day people are born, somewhere there may be fighting but life continues," says ruddy-faced election worker Nikolai Ivanovich, giving only his first name and patronymic.
"We're trying our best and I hope we succeed."
The snap vote was called in February in the deadly culmination of months of pro-EU protests that forced out the Kremlin-backed regime.
Even in government-held areas like Krasnoarmiysk, the vote still looks touch and go. Although election workers insist everything is going to plan, organisation seems chaotic with ballot papers yet to be delivered and some election officials refusing to oversee the vote.
"This is a kind of force majeure situation," a member of the wider district commission told AFP, refusing to give his name for fear of reprisals.
- 'Essentially a war' -
The district comprises areas under army control and some under rebel control.
"We're intent on holding the vote in this town but in other places the situation is trickier."
Residents also appeared split over the vote, with some saying they hoped it would help end the bloodshed that erupted six weeks ago, and others backing the rebel demand for the poll to be halted.
"We need to have the elections because in these conditions we need to elect a president," local resident Yuliya says as she sips from a plastic cup of soda.
"Whatever happens the elections need to take place because people can't go on living like this."
"I don't think that at this time when there is essentially a war that I should vote for one of them when I don't anyone who would change things," said housewife Alla Yevteeva, sitting on a bench with her shopping.
"I don't consider it legitimate and I won't be voting."
In areas where the rebels maintain a presence, election officials have faced a tough time.
In the regional capital of Donetsk, a city of some one million, the election commissions have been occupied and shut down by militiamen as local police have stood aside helplessly.
"A representative of the Donetsk People's Republic came with a letter and demanded we stop working," said Viktoria Nabokova from the city's polling district 45.
"We called the central election commission in Kiev and they told us to close up and that was all they said.
"I've signed up to run the election and I want to do it but we can't carry on under these circumstances."
Back out in the pockets of towns and villages under apparent Kiev control preparations are continuing.
Local police chief Sergei Kamburov has only been in his job for four days, since a volunteer pro-Kiev militia and government forces took back the town of Velyka Novosilka.
On Thursday, in a district around 50 kilometres away, 16 soldiers were shot dead in the bloodiest attack against military since the uprising began.
But Kamburov insists the vote in his region will be peaceful.
"More officers will be sent down here from Donetsk to help," he said. "I'm sure the election will happen as in our area, at least, there is order."
Nearby, in a polling station in a dilapidated village cultural club, local election committee head Lyubov Toktash irons a yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag as a colleague mops the floor around three transparent ballot boxes.
"I'm not afraid -- let them come and cut me into pieces if they want," said Toktash, 62.
"I think it will be fine though. Maybe the attendance might be a bit down -- I just have that feeling."
Svetlana Pershenko mops sweat from her forehead as she waits on a bench outside her local election commission to pick up papers for the polling station in her village in strife-torn eastern Ukraine.
Sunday’s election is the fifth the sturdy housewife will have helped organise but with army tanks stationed just a few kilometres (miles) away and heavily-armed separatists beyond them pledging to stop the vote she says it’s a lot more difficult this time round.
“We hope it will happen and we’ll do all we can to make sure that those who want to vote can vote but of course we’re afraid of something bad happening,” says Pershenko, the wall behind her plastered with posters of the various presidential candidates.
“On the day of the elections it will be very insecure as there are so many weapons around these days.”
Krasnoarmiysk and the area around it is something of an oasis in the rebellion-hit region of eastern Ukraine.
Surrounded by heavily fortified Ukrainian military checkpoints, it is one of the areas now under tenuous government control after it was taken back not long ago from the rebels.
– ‘Trying our best’ –
Elsewhere separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic have sworn that the vote will not happen and sent in armed men to shut down election commissions and detain officials.
“I can only speak philosophically, every day people die and every day people are born, somewhere there may be fighting but life continues,” says ruddy-faced election worker Nikolai Ivanovich, giving only his first name and patronymic.
“We’re trying our best and I hope we succeed.”
The snap vote was called in February in the deadly culmination of months of pro-EU protests that forced out the Kremlin-backed regime.
Even in government-held areas like Krasnoarmiysk, the vote still looks touch and go. Although election workers insist everything is going to plan, organisation seems chaotic with ballot papers yet to be delivered and some election officials refusing to oversee the vote.
“This is a kind of force majeure situation,” a member of the wider district commission told AFP, refusing to give his name for fear of reprisals.
– ‘Essentially a war’ –
The district comprises areas under army control and some under rebel control.
“We’re intent on holding the vote in this town but in other places the situation is trickier.”
Residents also appeared split over the vote, with some saying they hoped it would help end the bloodshed that erupted six weeks ago, and others backing the rebel demand for the poll to be halted.
“We need to have the elections because in these conditions we need to elect a president,” local resident Yuliya says as she sips from a plastic cup of soda.
“Whatever happens the elections need to take place because people can’t go on living like this.”
“I don’t think that at this time when there is essentially a war that I should vote for one of them when I don’t anyone who would change things,” said housewife Alla Yevteeva, sitting on a bench with her shopping.
“I don’t consider it legitimate and I won’t be voting.”
In areas where the rebels maintain a presence, election officials have faced a tough time.
In the regional capital of Donetsk, a city of some one million, the election commissions have been occupied and shut down by militiamen as local police have stood aside helplessly.
“A representative of the Donetsk People’s Republic came with a letter and demanded we stop working,” said Viktoria Nabokova from the city’s polling district 45.
“We called the central election commission in Kiev and they told us to close up and that was all they said.
“I’ve signed up to run the election and I want to do it but we can’t carry on under these circumstances.”
Back out in the pockets of towns and villages under apparent Kiev control preparations are continuing.
Local police chief Sergei Kamburov has only been in his job for four days, since a volunteer pro-Kiev militia and government forces took back the town of Velyka Novosilka.
On Thursday, in a district around 50 kilometres away, 16 soldiers were shot dead in the bloodiest attack against military since the uprising began.
But Kamburov insists the vote in his region will be peaceful.
“More officers will be sent down here from Donetsk to help,” he said. “I’m sure the election will happen as in our area, at least, there is order.”
Nearby, in a polling station in a dilapidated village cultural club, local election committee head Lyubov Toktash irons a yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag as a colleague mops the floor around three transparent ballot boxes.
“I’m not afraid — let them come and cut me into pieces if they want,” said Toktash, 62.
“I think it will be fine though. Maybe the attendance might be a bit down — I just have that feeling.”
