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| Amid Much Uncertainty, Separatists Prepare for Voting in Eastern Ukraine | Amid Much Uncertainty, Separatists Prepare for Voting in Eastern Ukraine |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| DONETSK, Ukraine — A day before snap elections to try to legitimize two self-declared new countries in eastern Ukraine, the preparations seemed as ad hoc as the votes themselves. | DONETSK, Ukraine — A day before snap elections to try to legitimize two self-declared new countries in eastern Ukraine, the preparations seemed as ad hoc as the votes themselves. |
| Ballots for the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk were created on copiers. Voting booths in one city were thrown together Saturday with red drapes stapled to wooden frames, and an election organizer in Donetsk said he was sure the vote would count because there was no rule for a minimum turnout. | Ballots for the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk were created on copiers. Voting booths in one city were thrown together Saturday with red drapes stapled to wooden frames, and an election organizer in Donetsk said he was sure the vote would count because there was no rule for a minimum turnout. |
| The separatist groups in eastern Ukraine conducting the votes on Sunday say they are as unfazed by the monumental task ahead as they are by the international condemnation of elections that many outsiders say could not possibly be free and fair amid the chaos enveloping the region. | The separatist groups in eastern Ukraine conducting the votes on Sunday say they are as unfazed by the monumental task ahead as they are by the international condemnation of elections that many outsiders say could not possibly be free and fair amid the chaos enveloping the region. |
| Despite their slapdash nature, the elections pose a risk of escalating the smoldering conflict in Ukraine by entrenching the political wings of pro-Russian militant groups, while putting the interim government in Kiev in the awkward position of arguing against what organizers describe as a democratic votes. | Despite their slapdash nature, the elections pose a risk of escalating the smoldering conflict in Ukraine by entrenching the political wings of pro-Russian militant groups, while putting the interim government in Kiev in the awkward position of arguing against what organizers describe as a democratic votes. |
| “The results will legitimize us before the world community,” Roman Lyagin, the chairman of the central election committee of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, said at a news conference here Saturday. | “The results will legitimize us before the world community,” Roman Lyagin, the chairman of the central election committee of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, said at a news conference here Saturday. |
| Mr. Lyagin said he had printed 3.1 million ballots that pose one question: “Do you support the act of self-rule for the People’s Republic of Donetsk?” | Mr. Lyagin said he had printed 3.1 million ballots that pose one question: “Do you support the act of self-rule for the People’s Republic of Donetsk?” |
| But even in Donetsk, the wording had people baffled. Some interpret the question as a vote for more local autonomy, some for independence and still others as a step toward inviting annexation by Russia, following the example set in Crimea. | But even in Donetsk, the wording had people baffled. Some interpret the question as a vote for more local autonomy, some for independence and still others as a step toward inviting annexation by Russia, following the example set in Crimea. |
| In Kiev, Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksandr V. Turchynov, called the secession votes in the east “a step into the abyss” that threatened to escalate the violent clashes over the fate of eastern Ukraine into a civil war. Mr. Turchynov is urging talks with eastern leaders to defuse the conflict. | |
| Mr. Lyagin in Donetsk — the official who said there would be no minimum turnout — said polling here would take place at 1,527 sites, including hospitals and schools, that will be secured by police sympathetic to the cause and volunteers. Pro-Russian activists in the Luhansk region to the east said they had made similar arrangements for a vote. | Mr. Lyagin in Donetsk — the official who said there would be no minimum turnout — said polling here would take place at 1,527 sites, including hospitals and schools, that will be secured by police sympathetic to the cause and volunteers. Pro-Russian activists in the Luhansk region to the east said they had made similar arrangements for a vote. |
| In an indication of the uncertainty surrounding the elections, voting started early Saturday at one school in Donetsk for reasons that were unclear. And after armed men threatened to kill a principal in the Luhansk region who did not want voting at her school, the central government said education officials should not take risks to oppose the polling. | In an indication of the uncertainty surrounding the elections, voting started early Saturday at one school in Donetsk for reasons that were unclear. And after armed men threatened to kill a principal in the Luhansk region who did not want voting at her school, the central government said education officials should not take risks to oppose the polling. |
| The two provinces that will vote are predominantly Russian speaking, but that does not guarantee a majority would want to secede from Ukraine. A poll by the Pew Research Center released this month indicated that 70 percent of respondents in eastern Ukraine favored keeping the country united, 18 percent favored the right to secede and the remainder were undecided. | The two provinces that will vote are predominantly Russian speaking, but that does not guarantee a majority would want to secede from Ukraine. A poll by the Pew Research Center released this month indicated that 70 percent of respondents in eastern Ukraine favored keeping the country united, 18 percent favored the right to secede and the remainder were undecided. |
| Those conducting the plebiscite here in Donetsk said they were leaving plenty of flexibility for future changes of course. | Those conducting the plebiscite here in Donetsk said they were leaving plenty of flexibility for future changes of course. |
| “We win the right for self-determination,” Mr. Lyagin said. “The next step will be another referendum when we ask, ‘Do we want to join Russia? Or, do we want to join Ukraine? Or do we want to become an independent state?’ There are many possibilities.” | “We win the right for self-determination,” Mr. Lyagin said. “The next step will be another referendum when we ask, ‘Do we want to join Russia? Or, do we want to join Ukraine? Or do we want to become an independent state?’ There are many possibilities.” |
| At the news conference, Mr. Lyagin again underscored the narrative of the pro-Russian groups here that their movement is grass-roots and that, while embracing the Russian flag as a symbol, it is not beholden to Moscow. | At the news conference, Mr. Lyagin again underscored the narrative of the pro-Russian groups here that their movement is grass-roots and that, while embracing the Russian flag as a symbol, it is not beholden to Moscow. |
| The opinion of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who on Wednesday asked the separatists in eastern Ukraine to delay their referendums, was less important, he said, than the opinions of residents here. “We don’t owe anybody anything,” Mr. Lyagin said. | The opinion of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who on Wednesday asked the separatists in eastern Ukraine to delay their referendums, was less important, he said, than the opinions of residents here. “We don’t owe anybody anything,” Mr. Lyagin said. |
| It remains unclear what Mr. Putin’s motives were for suggesting a delay, but the central Ukrainian government is convinced the leaders of the self-styled republics are fronts for a Russian intelligence operation to destabilize Ukraine. After weeks of unrest in the east, pro-Russian groups occupy administrative buildings in about a dozen towns, control some highways, and have full control over one midsize city, Slovyansk. | It remains unclear what Mr. Putin’s motives were for suggesting a delay, but the central Ukrainian government is convinced the leaders of the self-styled republics are fronts for a Russian intelligence operation to destabilize Ukraine. After weeks of unrest in the east, pro-Russian groups occupy administrative buildings in about a dozen towns, control some highways, and have full control over one midsize city, Slovyansk. |
| Ahead of the referendum in that city, the self-appointed mayor, Vyachislav Ponomaryov, predicted, with a gold-toothed smile, turnout of “100 percent.” | Ahead of the referendum in that city, the self-appointed mayor, Vyachislav Ponomaryov, predicted, with a gold-toothed smile, turnout of “100 percent.” |
| “We are completely ready for the referendum,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “Necessary spaces, voting booths and ballot boxes have been prepared. All organizational questions have already been resolved.” | “We are completely ready for the referendum,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “Necessary spaces, voting booths and ballot boxes have been prepared. All organizational questions have already been resolved.” |
| Shortly after Mr. Ponomaryov’s remarks, however, a work brigade was seen constructing wood-frame voting booths. | Shortly after Mr. Ponomaryov’s remarks, however, a work brigade was seen constructing wood-frame voting booths. |
| Hours after that, at midnight, fighting broke out on the outskirts of the city, beginning with a series of explosions. Gunfire erupted a few minutes later, and for roughly an hour machine-gun fire and occasional explosions echoed. It was not clear exactly what had been attacked but by 1:30 a.m., there had not been any action against the rebel-occupied buildings in the city’s center where the referendum was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. | Hours after that, at midnight, fighting broke out on the outskirts of the city, beginning with a series of explosions. Gunfire erupted a few minutes later, and for roughly an hour machine-gun fire and occasional explosions echoed. It was not clear exactly what had been attacked but by 1:30 a.m., there had not been any action against the rebel-occupied buildings in the city’s center where the referendum was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. |
| A State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the United States would not recognize the results of the votes. She said the referendums “by armed separatist groups are illegal under Ukrainian law, and are an attempt to create further division and disorder,” adding that if they proceed, “they will violate international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.” | A State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the United States would not recognize the results of the votes. She said the referendums “by armed separatist groups are illegal under Ukrainian law, and are an attempt to create further division and disorder,” adding that if they proceed, “they will violate international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.” |
| It remains unclear if those in the east who oppose breaking from Ukraine will even turn up to vote, since many of them also consider the election — as well as their unrecognized new countries — illegitimate. | It remains unclear if those in the east who oppose breaking from Ukraine will even turn up to vote, since many of them also consider the election — as well as their unrecognized new countries — illegitimate. |
| “It’s as if I declared my backyard sovereign,” said Dmitri Dmitrenko, 22, a supporter of the interim Ukrainian government in Kiev, who said he would not cast a ballot. “It has no more legitimacy or historical justification.” | “It’s as if I declared my backyard sovereign,” said Dmitri Dmitrenko, 22, a supporter of the interim Ukrainian government in Kiev, who said he would not cast a ballot. “It has no more legitimacy or historical justification.” |
| The ideas of the pro-Russian groups in Donetsk, he said, “are not part of the contemporary world” but do appeal to older people nostalgic for the Soviet Union. | The ideas of the pro-Russian groups in Donetsk, he said, “are not part of the contemporary world” but do appeal to older people nostalgic for the Soviet Union. |