you can you still with in your see what your scenario speaker for girl who's with the initial referendum result and ukraine zap her she and her san readers are in with 93 and 87 percent, respectively saying yes to joining russia. flew gone for public also ended voting with final result of 98 percent thing. yes. to the seating from ukraine. that preliminary numbers and the don bouts republic show over 90 percent of the voters are in favor video evidence emergent showing what's been described as unprecedented damage to the north stream pipeline system with german media, claiming possible sabotage. also ahead

with this situation has not changed. it's a good exam from western countries. russian president vladimir, who says the west of broken promise for ukrainian grain to go to countries the need has only a small fraction of the supplies went to africa. ah, from moscow to the world, this is our t international. i'm rachel blevins and here are the top stories this hour. we begin this hour with our special coverage of the referendum in the da boss republics, and to break away ukrainian regions to determine whether they will join russia as the boating has finished and ballots are now being counted. ah.

now as for those results on the referendums in ukraine and the don bass, region holing stations have now closed after several days of accepting ballads. so let's take a look at the latest numbers we have available there ever and no. his final results have come in for ukraine's break away zap ro she and her san regions with 93.11 percent and 87 percent, respectively. voting in favor of joining russia. final results have also come from the luke oscar public with 98 percent of people voting for joining russia.

preliminary tallies in the darnedest republic show. 97 percent are in favor. and to get the latest on those, let's cross alive to our correspondence in the lugens and our nest. republics, we're eager. is it on av and roman? closer of now roman, let's start with you 1st. what is the mood like there at the moment? well, the mood is that all for every one waiting for the final results to come in. the entire press corps is say here including politicians, activists, and everybody else was waiting for the results. so form 69 percent of the vote was already counted and hoped those 98.7 percent are in favor. and according to the chairman of the election of the referendum, a committee of half of a percent of those have voted are against her julian,

russia. now overall, more than 2000000 people have voted and that means that they turn out at this referendum stands at 97 percent. for now we are expecting to get the final results held to vote in here. pretty soon of we're all waiting here very anxiously. of course this referendum was taken place was held over the last 5 days. so 4 of which are mobile referendum committees were walking from home to home from the apartment building to an apartment building or calling on people to come down and take part in this referendum to vote. now this was done of for safety measures because local authority said didn't want people a lot of people to gather in at the polling booth on,

on the final day on one day of her referendum because the city of the nest is under constant shelling by ukrainian nationalists, there are quite a lot of tragedies the in the last few months over the last few years. actually, 8 of them were thousands of people. thousands of civilians have been killed, so local authorities destroyed, it decided to scratch this referendum period over 5 days. had turns out they were right because at least 88 percent of the folders decided to cast their votes during the 1st or 4 days. and the on the final day of the referendum, the rest of the people voted as well. now of course i was traveling around with these or more by referendum groups consisting mostly awful women who were teachers at schools or universities. and of course, i spoke to some of the people who voted as well that the mood was

different. now what, what united everybody, it was that they were happy about the fact that the referendum is finally taking place to place some show their happiness and the sound were actually crying. but this day has finally arrived and crying about the fancy 6 so many years for this to happen. and it took a lot of civilian lives as well. now let's have a listen to what some of the people had to say. for nickel, gordon to will no one forces us to come. you can see it yourself. people come voluntarily. i'm so happy. i'm about to cry. you block. i live. people are crying with joy. there were people from the russian control territories in ukraine. who said this there has finally come? i'm so glad a leave to see a i'm really happy. we've come a long way and have been waiting for it for ages. now, former a russian president who is currently deputy head of the country security council

already set on his so social media that said the referendums are already over. they have taken place despite and not the entire volt counts having come in. and he said, welcome to russia, so that's the mood among some of the politicians. of course, we can already as say that to some of the regions that you racial have already talked about. and of course, i believe for right now, we'll also hear from eager don of who is in logan square. the voltage is also over where a 100 percent of the ballads were accounted. and i'll tell you truth, i can't hear. i can't wait to hear that myself. yeah, certainly a lot of work has gone into making sure that those voices are heard. now let's go to igor. what is the situation like in guns republic and how are people reacting so far? well frankly,

it has been an emotional day for everyone here in the republic. and finally, the results they have come and more than 98 percent of people here have chosen to say yes to russia and know to ukraine. the results were announced by the head of the guns people's republic learned positioning himself. and while it was quite emotional, the procedure and the ceremony was wrapped up with both anthems of russia and the lou ganske republic playing out louder inn out there in the media center right behind me. now we did have a chance to ask a couple of questions to the head of the republic. and while we asked him as to what he feels, what his emotions were and what's next, of course, for the people here for the people of the login's can. well, of course he talked about the long and very thorny road that these people had to walk. and just frankly, to be able to have their say to be able to have their voices heard. and so that the whole world knows as to what, as to part of what country they would like to be as to what next he has reveal that

next week already he will be traveling to russia to see of latimer potent, the president of course. and well, to discuss the results of the referendum, obviously bidding on behalf of all the of more than a 1000000 people here who showed up to the polling stations rolled tooth so that russia recognizes their choice. and again, this choice wasn't an easy one, not in terms of as to where their hearts were, but rather key of did everything in its power to intimidate the people here into staying home and to not voting. it has been shelling little against people's republic relentlessly. in the past 5 days, while the for the 5 days when the referendum was taking place, it was shelling polling stations and polling booths. people had to interrupt the voting and go to and go hide and bomb shelters. just to stay safe, just to keep on going with their daily lives and no matter what they ill showed up, they showed up in hundreds of thousands. again, the attendance is also very,

very close to a 100 percent. and so this is what they did. this is the what they did despite the shelling, despite everything being against their odds. now the authorities here, of course, the try to make it easier and as safe as possible for the people here. for example, for the 1st 4 days, there were no stationary polling stations. the one that were used to instead, buses were taking members of the election committee door to door almost. or if they were visiting different neighborhoods and regions and remote villages. so that people had, could have a chance to vote and to have their say without attracting and without participating in large crowds of people which could attract yet another attacks from are the key of authorities from the cave military, which could be targeted by, well, terrorists, by diversion groups are, this is something by the way, this is one of the concerns. one of the international observers are pointed out in ins and international observer from italy are for that matter. so this is what they

were doing, but this is the reality that you won't see an international major. you won't see it in western media because they're spinning a whole different story. for example, according to the version of the foreign minister of the foreign minister of germany, people here apparently were voting at gun point, but not the guns pointing from the cave side, but rather that armed people. this is what she purported that armed people were following members of the election committee and forcing people to vote this, it couldn't be further from what we've seen from what our colleagues have seen. and of course, probably most importantly, the international observers have seen 1st hand as they witnessed the voting themselves. now we did our crew did prepare a report as to how long these people here have fed towards this day towards this decision, and how much hindrances and well death they faced in their way laid in front of them by cave. please have a look. keith has repeatedly claimed ownership over the citizens of don bass,

and at the same time has been doing everything in its power to antagonize them. it's military has been shelling the population here with how it is and have you rocket launchers. planes dropped bombs on people's homes and children. and now the authorities and cave are making it abundantly clear that anyone who is dropping ballots into the ballot boxes at the referendum will be persecuted with no mercy. ukraine proposed up to 5 years in prison for anyone who dares to vote. and that's just the tip of the iceberg of repression. there's a plethora of ways to lose all humanity and keeps eyes here and be condemned with the stigma of being a so called russian collaborator, 8 years of war, have somewhat numb the people here to the outright abhorrence coming from caves, government, which considers them its subjects but while they're used to it, it doesn't mean they aren't hard broken. no, it was. it's such

a bitter feeling when your mother land turns its back on you. well, the land you would always thought to be your mother land. it's very sad. it was neat that the one yet i am so angered by this, but this is wool. that's all i can say when you know crazy. we aren't living in ukraine. we are living in the la guns republic. and we do hope they won't be able to get the hands on us on us near the standard. and sure all these threads could have been a bluff grand standing at an international level. a tray can ukraine's domestic policy game, but keep itself shattered. all hopes of that all can operators who somehow reveal their names. there is a whole list of the surnames. they are all people who have signed that death sentences. we are not bloodthirsty. we are officially saying that will only accept a legal decision. life sentences for traitors as citizens of the don boss flocked to the polling stations and the millions. it's not just ukraine that remains oblivious to their plea. germany's tub diplomat annalee in

a book ow did cave's own propagandists when she suggested the real situation with the vote here resembles a poorly written r rated movie and it does, yes. people have voting with a gun pointing at their heads. and this is exactly what touch referendums are about . people are shot at rapes and then obliged to very tall, a soldier onto the kalashnikov is standing right next to them. if we now accepted and let it be, then it will be repeated in other places. it will serve as an invitation to further violate international laws. as western politicians and media post the narrative of a people voting at gunpoint. reality on the ground points to a very different threat facing those wanting to cost their vote at polling stations public areas. and don bass are being held by the ukrainian military every day. keeps under cover hitman bomb pro russian officials and liberated regions on a regular basis. diversion groups are also active behind the defensive lines,

but the german foreign minister chose to emit all of that. it doesn't fit ukraine's heroic facade, promoted so hard in the west. they're locked into this narrative. and it's so mean ongoing since 2014, that the people of the dumbass have no agency of their own, that they are essentially ultimate owns, are doing hooton's bidding. so that was obvious and that's how the west will interpret any election or referendum outcome. the problem is that they haven't come up with any evidence of this. show us the evidence that that people are being forced at gunpoint to go and vote there. isn't it about a quarter of the population here are holders of russian passports, just under a 1000000 people whom you crane is eager to evict to the 21st century gulags. and that's to start with, under the proposed bill drawn up in co authorship with members of the as of neo

nazi group, freedom of speech goes out of the window support. every whim of ukraine's government will be jailed. collaborators will be considered those citizens who have denied the armed aggression against ukraine and the occupation of its territories, or have publicly called for support for the aggressor, for cooperation with the occupiers. the final, in the most decisive day of the referendum is here. and it's about to show just how many people have decided to personally sign the divorce papers with ukraine once and for rule, i'm again done of reporting from the la guns people's republic ot see around one and a half 1000000 people had cast their votes and then don ask republic by the end of the 4th day of voting and the liaison square public, the latest data shows the turnout exceeded 90 percent. walton is oper our she and her san regions. the turn out was roughly the same as $77.00 and around 90 percent

. we spoke to the president of the bricks international forum who came to the dawn bass as an international observer, as says that the mood of the people there contradicts the western establishment narrative. i found that to people about home, we were hearing that they are under a gunpoint or having go controlled by that issue. and i mean we found that they had very 3 there participating. and i think them like gay salvation and festival and lee really giving message to the world that there is no fear nor any pressure. and they are taking their own right window. sion garment did not buy display, do they only provide it logistic and infrastructure along the lines and don't stick people to conduct the building. when you come to dial grounds, then you will understand what did that he energy from my united nation office. you

can not say everything. so this is not what they were in international media is going on. i knew most of the time there is a fake news doing last 9 months. we observed that so many fake news said related to the by the western media to eastern word in poland. and now as the polls are now closed, in lieu of bonds republic international observers from france and italy have shared their 1st hand accounts of how the voting was conducted there. oh, we worked as international observe is nas up raja region and the city of multiple based on what we saw, i can say that the problem is not the ukrainian artillery, which can create fear. but actually, it's saboteurs and intelligence groups wants to an inspection of a polling station. people who came to cast their ballots head from journalist cameras. they didn't want to show their faces. they wanted to keep their voting secret. you've asked me whether i'm afraid of returning to france. it's hard to

give an unequivocal answer to that question. i write for many media outlets under my own name. and of course, that causes a certain degree of distress. when it comes to my job in france, there's less and less to do there. that's partly because france as a member of the e. u, has pivoted towards the global agenda. i know a frenchman who stayed in the don bass on a humanitarian mission, and part of the funds he had collected in france for children's hospitals in the dawn. bass was confiscated by the french authorities. he is even currently under investigation. it's evident that the french political system is now faltering, and that can explain such a hysterical reaction. steven gathaway, a professor at the institute of european studies, and belgrade says that the voices of the people who have now had the chance to have a say on their future where stifled in the 2014 regime change in ukraine. wandering wanted what is happening with the people in our recently taken the parts

of recently taken by ukrainian forces. i'm talking about the harkell region and easyhome. there were photos of people not being only at the gone point, but actually shot and some, some really shocking reports from there. but i don't see any, a cnn reporters are rushing to investigate this on the other hand. so there was no or any kind of really hard evidence that such events were happening during these references referendums, as i said, these regions already had a mini uprising after day. officer dakota thought had happened in on, on my donnie here in 2014. so, and they were the people who didn't want to agree with what happened. i in kiev,

who did not agree with the a forceful law regime change. they, their voices were shots and they were not able to speak or many of them vanished. i think that the only years to come, we will see the full picture of what happened in the last 8 years in these regions that are now joining russia. so i think that that is what we are seeing now is the highest level of hypocrisy. what the final votes and, and on as for public still being counted will keep you updated on the results and what the future holds for those regions. ah, the u. s. secretary of state has emphasized that keeps forces have a right to use american weaponry against the don bass, as well as the break away ukrainian regions of zapatero. she and her son no matter

whether or not they choose to join russia. bill the u. s. still allow ukrainian troops to use us weaponry to defend against russians in those territories, no matter what the outcome of these referendums and this, these possible annexations ukraine has the absolute right to defend itself throughout its territory, including to take back the territory that has been illegally seized one way or another by russia. so essentially we have a situation where if the referendums do result in the dog, vast regions joining the russian federation, the united states would then it gets blessing to an attack on russian territory with weapons that it's supplied to the government in kia. now that is a red line, as far as russia is concerned, russia will not allow russian territory to be attacked. now,

this is quite an important statement. we heard from the u. s. secretary of state. and it comes as the united states and nato continue to insist that they are not involved in the conflict despite supplying weapons. this is the nato chief. we need to ensure that this doesn't evolve into full fledged war in europe. we do the portly by being very clear that nato and they draw laws are not the part due to the conflict. now there is a video. 2 live from, ah, it looks like we are going to be listening to russia's ambassador to the un here speaking right now. let's go ahead and have a listen. j areas can finally rest assured that they will not have their right to speak russian or to teach the children in russian taken away from them. and also the day a victory is one that they calibrate and they don't have to celebrate the fascists

from 2014 on with key in high, deliberately focused on the physical destruction of the inhabitants of. ready n d p r, the people who are unhappy, who they don't like. and with the backing of the you and the u. s. a finger to force the cuba already hold them in agreement. that guaranteed the safety of the citizens in those republics and dignified future with in ukraine. i'd like to remind you that the means agreements provided for a cease by direct dialogue between give and done by granting aid more specific status through the adoption of a new constitution. as well, all of these agreements were cynically flouted by the key of authorities violating into earlier un security council resolution 2202 western delegations. not only were not as daunted by this, but they secretly and also clearly supported it. if it hadn't been for this criminal connivance and him talk grassy, live, the west had forced it,

subordinates, in keel, to uphold the basic human rights to respect their compatriots. and primarily their right to life. as a special operation would not have been needed at all. feel very to have ukraine clearly stated that russians and russian speaking citizens of the regions were not people. vladimir zelinski in an interview in august last year said that everybody who considered themselves to be russian or likes russia, the russian language for there's taken with the sake of their children, should get out of ukraine and go to russia. now, the inhabitants of dunbar had a son and deputies. your orders are carrying out his cynical recommendation. they're returning to the homeland and they taking their land with them that their forefathers lived on for centuries and see what also played a role. and daddy was the fact that the population of crania was saved from the tragic situation on hurting and on bath in 2014,

when they chose to return to become a part of russia. we've heard seminar accusations of in an allocation. so, 8 years a people in crimea has seen their life change for the better they live without fear for their lives. and we have over the past 8 years of invested in the development of the region. and we developed like we're going to develop dumbass and other territories that here is deliberately trying to bring to ruins. aware that our former western town is, are not listening to us, all will rather pretend not to listen to us. however, i do say that the referendum were conducted exclusively, transparently, with upholding of all is an electoral norms. this is an undisputed fact. however, the key of regime and it's back there that want to say anything to the contrary. more than a 100 independent international observers, i observed it from 40 countries. they active the and put their opinions on the media. and they were particularly surprised by the enthusiasm of the people in the

d p r and l b r. and house on an arbiter share, an obvious and how it actually were about the referendum and how long they had awaited them. unfortunately, you weren't here this on the air of western media and you won't see any interviews with inhabitants of these regions. item western countries initially stated that they would not recognize the results of these referenda and they threw their entire weight behind the propaganda machine to besmirch them. we're not surprised by their propaganda based. planted information that apparently the people were forced to vote that they were questioned to force them to choose to accede to russia or as the minister of foreign affairs of germany, adelina better said they were short, they were raped and then they had to lease or cross on a ballot box about it vote while soldiers with bicycles was standing beside them. so it seems that they have to vote after they've been shot and raped is that the

case? and those cold soldiers who were holding the crashing of apparently were indulgent, provoked, in fact, in the country. apart from the propaganda machine, the ukrainian armed forces relent all its might. behind will in fact that the west and the military might, behind stepping out artillery shelling of towns where they were referendum to so panic among citizens. and to make vain attempts to undermine the vote. the temper tantrums of the western delegation, including today and it's good to cancel, shows that a direct vote or citizens as long seems to be the criteria from a democratic election. the recognition of such is only if it's approved by the west . the western version of democracy was born in the dictate over live the liberal minority, over the conservative majority. this form of the denial of rights of non liberals

and non russ fopes other think is, is use not only in ukraine incidentally, but also by allies in the western block. just the day before yesterday the head of lee you commission are sort of wanted, i openly threatened it to be with consequences if the outcome of the elections in italy did not leave brussels on the blacklist is hungry and a candidate for a fashion that is enjoying the most enthusiasm at the moment, despite the fact that it has historical links with russia, is serbia. they're trying to force it to adopt a position and to support the economically destructive sanctions. against did recent example, the u. s. ambassador belgrade, yesterday called on serbia to explain it's the signature of a consultation plan on the side end of the u. n. g, a, between at least being a russian foreign affairs. is this really not an neo colonial dictator? by refusing the inhabitants of don bass and deliberated heritage of ukraine,

the right to self determination. the western dedication is demonstrating there, agreed double stand, and the loudest critics of the referendum in dumbass, zappa, georgia, and the house in august were once at the forefront of supporting the independence of kosovo. them. they stated that those terrible that territory did have the right to leave the serbians dana if there was a real threat that the rights of the casa albanians would be seriously violated. the so called remedial fashion. i'd under school that it was not just statements, but rather the official legal position presented by western countries in the u. n. n. social court in 2008. at that time, the cost of albanians, however, were not threatened by anything. i told you, gustavo was no longer on the mark. the nato bombed serbia. i had a foreign troops as peacekeepers in it. i'd like to underscore, unlike in a situation in crimea and the l b, r and d p.