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Frustration in east Ukraine as rebels block polling

-

Ukrainian housewife Raissa was visibly distressed on Sunday to find the doors firmly closed at the school in the district of Donetsk where she usually votes.

"We went to the airport because we read we could vote there but there was nothing," she told AFP in the rebel-held city of Donetsk.

"We can't vote and that makes me want to cry," she said outside the building in the district of Kalininska. "I can't stand this situation, I want to vote for change because I love Ukraine."

Voters in pockets of east Ukraine still under government control trickled to the polls but rebels succeeded in shutting down the vote across most of the rebellion-hit region.

Armed separatists in camouflage gear and balaclavas were on the streets of the major cities and towns they hold to make good on a pledge to block the vote.

Not a single voting centre was open in the main city of Donetsk and across the entire region known as Donbass where the pro-Russian separatists hold sway only 11 out of 34 constituencies were staging the election.

"Ukraine is now another country so I don't see why we should take part in this election," said one woman in Donetsk city centre who gave her name as Elisabeta.

Pro-Russian militants ride on an armoured personnel carrier in Donetsk on May 25  2014
Pro-Russian militants ride on an armoured personnel carrier in Donetsk on May 25, 2014
Alexander Khudoteply, AFP

"It doesn't matter what the result is, it doesn't concern us today."

There were no major reports of violence, although the militants had threatened to disrupt the vote in Donetsk and Lugansk, the main regions they control in the heart of Ukraine's coal and steel industry.

- 'You are heroes' -

Before the vote, election officials reported many cases of intimidation and attacks on polling stations in the east, where scores of people have been killed since Ukrainian forces launched an offensive to crush the insurgents in mid-April.

On Donetsk's main Lenin Square, about 2,000 people demonstrated in support of the separatists, chanting "You are heroes" and "Do not take prisoners, kill them."

Lining the square were about 200 men, backed by armoured vehicles, while masked rebels guarded Aleksandr Borodai, the shadowy Russian who was named prime minister of the Donetsk rebel republic.

But many residents remained determined to exercise their democratic right despite the tensions and problems in even finding somewhere to cast their ballots.

A woman casts her ballot in the Ukrainian city of Izyum  on the border with Donetsk region on May 25...
A woman casts her ballot in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, on the border with Donetsk region on May 25, 2014
Genya Savilov, AFP

Voting was easier in patches still under Kiev's control that lay behind a string of a heavily-fortified government checkpoints.

In Dobropillya, a town 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of Donetsk, Ukrainian flags flew from lampposts as election officials defied the threats to make sure polling stations were open.

"The fact that we have all turned up to work here today shows that we're not afraid," said Tetyana Shapovalova, the head of the polling centre.

A steady trickle of voters, mainly elderly, cast their ballots in the fresco-ceilinged cavernous hall of Dobropillya's Stalin-era palace of culture.

"I felt an obligation to come to vote. If we can organise all this in our town then I feel it is my duty to vote as a Ukrainian," said Natalya Filatova who works at an agricultural firm.

"It is scary of course but I had to vote, especially in this town where the people have defended themselves and the army is out surrounding the town."

- 'We don't need Russia' -

But even in the towns and villages where voting was taking place, many people seemed to stay away.

At the 77 working polling stations in the Dobropillya district only 14 percent of voters had shown up by early afternoon, election commission member Galina Chekh told AFP.

"It's a low figure. We hope more will come."

Sitting in the courtyard of her tumbledown home, pensioner Svetlana Berezina said it wasn't fear that was keeping her away from the polls but a sense that the election would not change Ukraine's culture of political corruption.

"I am not voting -- there is no one to vote for," said stick-thin Berezina. "Who should I vote for ? Some fat-faced oligarch."

Ukrainian housewife Raissa was visibly distressed on Sunday to find the doors firmly closed at the school in the district of Donetsk where she usually votes.

“We went to the airport because we read we could vote there but there was nothing,” she told AFP in the rebel-held city of Donetsk.

“We can’t vote and that makes me want to cry,” she said outside the building in the district of Kalininska. “I can’t stand this situation, I want to vote for change because I love Ukraine.”

Voters in pockets of east Ukraine still under government control trickled to the polls but rebels succeeded in shutting down the vote across most of the rebellion-hit region.

Armed separatists in camouflage gear and balaclavas were on the streets of the major cities and towns they hold to make good on a pledge to block the vote.

Not a single voting centre was open in the main city of Donetsk and across the entire region known as Donbass where the pro-Russian separatists hold sway only 11 out of 34 constituencies were staging the election.

“Ukraine is now another country so I don’t see why we should take part in this election,” said one woman in Donetsk city centre who gave her name as Elisabeta.

Pro-Russian militants ride on an armoured personnel carrier in Donetsk on May 25  2014

Pro-Russian militants ride on an armoured personnel carrier in Donetsk on May 25, 2014
Alexander Khudoteply, AFP

“It doesn’t matter what the result is, it doesn’t concern us today.”

There were no major reports of violence, although the militants had threatened to disrupt the vote in Donetsk and Lugansk, the main regions they control in the heart of Ukraine’s coal and steel industry.

– ‘You are heroes’ –

Before the vote, election officials reported many cases of intimidation and attacks on polling stations in the east, where scores of people have been killed since Ukrainian forces launched an offensive to crush the insurgents in mid-April.

On Donetsk’s main Lenin Square, about 2,000 people demonstrated in support of the separatists, chanting “You are heroes” and “Do not take prisoners, kill them.”

Lining the square were about 200 men, backed by armoured vehicles, while masked rebels guarded Aleksandr Borodai, the shadowy Russian who was named prime minister of the Donetsk rebel republic.

But many residents remained determined to exercise their democratic right despite the tensions and problems in even finding somewhere to cast their ballots.

A woman casts her ballot in the Ukrainian city of Izyum  on the border with Donetsk region on May 25...

A woman casts her ballot in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, on the border with Donetsk region on May 25, 2014
Genya Savilov, AFP

Voting was easier in patches still under Kiev’s control that lay behind a string of a heavily-fortified government checkpoints.

In Dobropillya, a town 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of Donetsk, Ukrainian flags flew from lampposts as election officials defied the threats to make sure polling stations were open.

“The fact that we have all turned up to work here today shows that we’re not afraid,” said Tetyana Shapovalova, the head of the polling centre.

A steady trickle of voters, mainly elderly, cast their ballots in the fresco-ceilinged cavernous hall of Dobropillya’s Stalin-era palace of culture.

“I felt an obligation to come to vote. If we can organise all this in our town then I feel it is my duty to vote as a Ukrainian,” said Natalya Filatova who works at an agricultural firm.

“It is scary of course but I had to vote, especially in this town where the people have defended themselves and the army is out surrounding the town.”

– ‘We don’t need Russia’ –

But even in the towns and villages where voting was taking place, many people seemed to stay away.

At the 77 working polling stations in the Dobropillya district only 14 percent of voters had shown up by early afternoon, election commission member Galina Chekh told AFP.

“It’s a low figure. We hope more will come.”

Sitting in the courtyard of her tumbledown home, pensioner Svetlana Berezina said it wasn’t fear that was keeping her away from the polls but a sense that the election would not change Ukraine’s culture of political corruption.

“I am not voting — there is no one to vote for,” said stick-thin Berezina. “Who should I vote for ? Some fat-faced oligarch.”

AFP
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With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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