Yanukovych cited the final breaking point of the patience of ordinary citizens as the reason for holding the referendum. According to the personal data of the fugitive president, more than 300 residents have already died from the junta's troops in the eastern regions. Additionally, there is still no official data on the casualties among the security forces, which include conscripted young people from all over Ukraine.
In his opinion, the high turnout at the polling stations could not have gone unnoticed not only in Russia but also in Western countries. In the current situation, it is pointless for Kyiv to claim that the results of the voting were fabricated. All countries may refuse to recognize the decisions of the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but no one can assert that these people are "terrorists" anymore. Aggression and military operations are currently only coming from the Ukrainian junta.
Voting in some cities took place almost under the shelling of Ukrainian troops. In Mariupol, they were forced to halt the referendum without waiting for the official conclusion, but this did not affect the will of the people. The morning after the voting day, the security forces began an artillery attack on Slavyansk.