A referendum on “self-rule” is taking place in areas controlled by separatists in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The vote follows the declaration by separatists of the formation of the “People’s Republic of Donetsk”. The referendum question asks voters whether they support the “People’s Republic of Donetsk”.

Denis Pushilin, a leader of the self-proclaimed “republic”, has said that once the referendum result is announced Ukrainian soldiers in the region will be considered to be “occupiers”.

The poll has been condemned by the Ukrainian government, the European Union and the United States.

No election observers have been invited and there have been numerous reports of voting irregularities.

Euronews spoke to several voters at a polling station in Donetsk.

One woman said: “We have industry, we have mines. So economically I think we can do quite well on our own.”

“What happened in Odessa, what’s going on in Luhansk and Mariupol, we cannot live with it. You should understand we cannot be together with this government, these authorities,” another voter told euronews.