(11 May 2014) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBERS: 2002568, 2002563, 2002567, 2002574, 2002632
VOICEOVER SCRIPT:
RESIDENTS IN EASTERN UKRAINE LINED UP AT POLLING STATIONS ON SUNDAY, TO CAST THEIR VOTES IN HASTILY-ORGANIZED REFERENDUMS ON INDEPENDENCE.
THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN KIEV OBJECTED TO THE BALLOTING, CALLING IT ILLEGAL AND FUNDED BY NEIGHBORING RUSSIA.
THE VOTES SEEK APPROVAL FOR DECLARING SO-CALLED SOVEREIGN PEOPLE'S REPUBLICS IN THE DONETSK AND LUHANSK REGIONS.... WHERE PRO-RUSSIAN INSURGENTS HAVE SEIZED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND CLASHED WITH POLICE AND UKRAINIAN TROOPS OVER THE PAST MONTH.
SOUNDBITE (Russian) Konstantin (no last name given), local resident:
"I voted for the Donetsk republic. Why, because I am not happy with the government, I wish for me and my children to live in a peaceful country."
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAD ASKED THE REFERENDUMS' ORGANIZERS TO DELAY THE VOTE, BUT THEY REFUSED, AND PREDICTED A HIGH TURNOUT.
SOUNDBITE (Russian) Roman Lyagin, Head of Donetsk People's Republic electoral commission: "We just want to express our right to self-determination. // We do not want to cease to be part of Ukraine, we do not want to become a part of Russia, we just want to tell the world that we want to change. We want to be heard, we want to decide the fate of our region ourselves."
REFERENDUM ORGANIZERS SAY THEY'LL WAIT UNTIL FINAL RESULTS ARE IN BEFORE DECIDING THEIR NEXT MOVE.
HANNAH BUCHDAHL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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