Kiev rejects referendums in eastern Ukraine

KIEV - Ukrainian acting President Olexandr Turchynov on Monday rejected referendums in eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions, in which polls showed around 90 percent of people vote in favor of independence from central government in Kiev.

"The propagandistic farce, which terrorists qualify as the referendum, will have no legal consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organizers," Turchynov was quoted by the parliament' s press service as saying.

Although election organizers said the turnout for the vote was over 70 percent, Turchynov claimed that only 24 percent of eligible voters in Lugansk region and some 32 percent in Donetsk region had gone to the polls.

Turchynov described the recent developments in eastern part of the country as "Russia' s plan aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, disruption of the presidential election and overthrowing the Ukrainian authorities" .

On Sunday, the referendums were held in two regions of eastern Ukraine over their future status.

According to the preliminary returns, some 89.07 percent of voters in Donetsk region cast ballots in favor of independence from government in Kiev.

The results from the other region, Lugansk, have not been announced yet, but referendum' s organizers said that about 94 percent of people voted for region' s sovereignty.