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Residents in the the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are preparing to hold referendums on whether to declare sovereignty and break away from Kiev. The referendums are scheduled to be held on Sunday. Over 1,500 polling stations have been set up across Donetsk.

In eastern Ukraine’s most heavily fortified¹ town, preparations are underway for Sunday’s referendum...a vote that could plunge² Ukraine into civil war.

As they load up the ballot³ boxes to be sent out to polling stations, organisers admit that the referendum has been hastily arranged and is fraught⁴ with problems...

Anatoly Khmelevoy, election official, said, "To organize everything, normally under the election law, precinct election commissions need three weeks to prepare... but in fact, we have only three to four days. It is clear that this is going to be a rough road, but the will of the people to take part in the vote is strong, you will see it. If only they don’t prevent it with military actions."

Kiev says it will do everything it can to block the vote. But the self proclaimed mayor of Slavyansk warned the interim⁵ authorities to back off, and stand their troops down...

Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, self-declared mayor of Slavyansk, said, "They should give up. Really, they should give up before it is too late. Because, I say, if there are some clashes we will not take any prisoners. So if they want to live, they should give up.

At polling stations like this on Sunday people across the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk will be asked if they support the act of self-rule for the Donetsk People’s Republic.