Russia starts "referendums" as part of annexation plan for eastern Ukrainian territory

Voting began Friday in four Russian-controlled Ukrainian regions as part of President Vladimir Putin's plan to annex a large chunk of the eastern European nation, a move that Western countries have slammed as a violation of international law.

The voting is taking place in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, representing about 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory, and will run until Tuesday. It comes after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of territory in a counteroffensive this month.