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MARIUPOL, Sep 23Residents of Mariupol, who voted on the first day of the referendum on the entry of the DPR into the Russian Federation, told a RIA Novosti correspondent that they had been waiting for this vote for a long time. «I think everything will be fine. Russia is Russia. Ukraine, of course, will never be compared with it. I will say that we have been waiting for this referendum. We hope and believe that we will always be in Russia,» said a resident of Mariupol.The Zaporizhzhia CAA announced Zelensky's desire to disrupt the referenda. The same point of view was expressed by a resident of Mariupol from the left-bank district of the city. “Yes, I voted. I won’t say how. It’s clear. But I voted the way I want. I was waiting for the referendum. And I’m happy that it has come. Thank God,” the agency’s interlocutor said. The referendum on joining Russia started in Friday in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Voting will continue for five days, until September 27. The public has applied to the regional authorities with the initiative to immediately hold referendums. According to representatives of the republics and regions, joining Russia will secure their territories and restore historical justice. In their opinion, this decision is extremely necessary in the context of constant acts of terror by the nationalist authorities of Ukraine and NATO members, who supply weapons to kill civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would support the decision to be taken by the residents of Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. «People really want to cast their vote.» Referendums on joining Russia 
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Referendums on joining Russia will last in the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions for five days, from September 23 to 27. Until Monday, voting takes place in the adjacent territories, and on Tuesday, polling stations will open for everyone who wants to cast their vote.
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Many residents of Melitopol strive to vote on the first day. "Today we have not yet had time to start, but there were already many people who wanted to cast their vote. We explained to them that voting would take place at the polling stations on the 27th, and before that, at home. People really want to cast their vote", — said the city election commission.
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Many residents of Melitopol strive to vote on the first day. "Today we have not yet had time to start, but there were already many people who wanted to cast their vote. We explained to them that voting would take place at the polling stations on the 27th, and before that, at home. People really want to cast their vote,» the city election commission said.
In the LPR, operational headquarters were deployed to ensure the security of voting. The people's militia units were put on high alert.
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Operational headquarters were deployed in the LPR to ensure voting security. The people's militia units were put on high alert.
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The referendum in the LPR is like a bone in the throat for Ukraine, so the republic expects that Kyiv will try to disrupt it, and take measures to protect polling stations, said the head of the local Public Chamber.
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The referendum in the Luhansk People’s Republic is like a bone in the throat for Ukraine, so the republic expects Kyiv to try to disrupt it, and measures are being taken to protect polling stations, the head of the local Public Chamber said.
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Polls in Russian regions have been opened for internally displaced persons.
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Plots in Russian regions have been opened for internally displaced people.
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Polls in Moscow opened on Friday morning in a calm atmosphere.
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Polling stations in Moscow opened on Friday morning in a calm atmosphere.
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Ambassador of the Donetsk People's Republic in Russia Olga Makeeva voted at the embassy DNR in Moscow.
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Ambassador of the Donetsk People's Republic in Russia Olga Makeeva voted at the DPR embassy in Moscow.
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Exit voting on the bus in Lugansk.
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Exit voting on the bus in Luhansk.
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The situation center for monitoring the referenda.
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Situation center for monitoring referendums launched in the Russian Civic Chamber.
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Russian senators work as observers at referendums in the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
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At referendums in the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, Russian senators work as observers.
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The referendums are organized at the highest possible level — so that " what to complain about", observers say.
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Referenda are organized at the highest possible level — so, that "there is nothing to complain about", observers note.
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No excesses were recorded on the first day of the referendum.
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No excesses were recorded on the first day of the referendum.
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Precinct commissions work as usual, go around the adjacent territories.
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Precinct commissions work as usual, go around the adjacent territories.
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The results of the referendum will be known within five days after the end of the voting.
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The results of the referendum will be known within five days after the end of the voting.
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Referendums on joining Russia will last in the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions for five days, from 23 to 27 September. Until Monday, voting takes place in the adjacent territories, and on Tuesday, polling stations will open for everyone to cast their vote.
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Many residents of Melitopol tend to vote on the first day. "Today we have not yet had time to start, but there were already many people who wanted to cast their vote. We explained to them that voting would take place at the polling stations on the 27th, and before that, at home. People really want to cast their vote", the city election commission said.
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Operational headquarters were deployed in the LPR to ensure the security of voting. The people's militia units were put on high alert.
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The referendum in the LPR is like a bone in the throat for Ukraine, so the republic expects that Kyiv will try to disrupt it, and take measures to protect the electoral plots, said the head of the local Public Chamber.
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Plots in Russian regions have been opened for internally displaced persons.
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Plots in Moscow opened on Friday morning in a relaxed atmosphere.
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Ambassador of the Donetsk People's Republic in Russia Olga Makeeva voted at the DPR embassy in Moscow.
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Exit voting on the bus in Luhansk.
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A situational center for observing referendums has started its work in the Russian Civic Chamber.
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In the referendums in the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, Russians are also working as observers senators.
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The referendums are organized at the highest possible level — so that "there is nothing to complain about", observers say.
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No excesses were recorded on the first day of the referendum.
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The precinct commissions are working as usual, going around the adjacent territories.
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The results of the referendum will be known within five days after the completion of the voting.
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