Thread by @EvaKBartlett

First scenes of voting in the referendum yesterday, in the Donetsk People's Republic.

"Yes! Of course, yes!"

Man in Kirovskiy, on Friday, speaking about why he is driving people going door to door to enable voting in a region that gets heavily shelled. He is putting himself at risk, but does so voluntarily, not accepting money for his efforts.

Another woman in Kievskiy spoke of how she thinks life could improve under Russia, including more work & better salaries, but most of all peace.

"I voted at work. We are for Russia, we are part of Russia, we've always been with Russia & we're very happy that we were asked even though there is fighting now. We want to go home.

When civilians die, it's disgusting. It's our former fellow citizens who are hitting us."

“This is a very long-awaited event. We've been waiting for this for 8 years, as a homecoming. We haven't been with Ukraine for a long time. We have a completely different mentality. I believe that Russia is our homeland, and we are going back to our homeland.”

Makeevka today. Asked residents if they are forced to vote/afraid of the soldiers.

"No, we don't vote at gunpoint. No one scares us, no one intimidates or threatens us."

"This is a ballot box, it needs to be protected."

Go on and try to convince me that these people are terrified by the presence of soldiers there to provide security.

Try. You won't.

Adding more clips as I finally get time to subtitle them.

Gorlovka woman on referendum:

"We've been waiting for it for 8 years, because of the shelling. My child grew up under this shelling. She was 5 years old when it started."

Older couple in Gorlovka on why they want to join Russia. This was a bit difficult to subtitle as they often spoke at the same time, but the gist is there.

On the referendum to join Russia, a Mariupol man told me supported it and, "I personally have had all these wishes for eight years, since 2014, and perhaps even earlier."

Director of a Makeevka school:

"In March a Tochka-U missile landed on the territory of the school, which caused great damage to our institution. The Lord saved us, it was evening. If this had happened during school hours, well, we probably wouldn't be talking to you today."

[The West says it won't recognize the results of this referendum. ]

"For so many years, we've gotten used to the fact that we are not recognized, our choices are not recognized. But we are tired of living in war. We want peace. No one helped us except Russia..."

Makeevka resident during referendum:

[Please tell me, is this your personal opinion? They ask you who is forcing you—perhaps a soldier?—to vote. ]

"No, no, God forbid. It's personal. Here absolutely everyone expresses their opinion and go to vote purely on their own."