Discounted food at polling stations
There have been several reports of discounted produce at polling stations in Ukraine's separatist regions.
Some supporting Kyiv have used these pictures to dismiss any real desire of Donetsk or Luhansk residents to cast a vote today. But others have warned not to make too much of the situation.
European far-right parties observing unrecognized elections today
The bitter irony for many is that while Russia and eastern Ukraine separatists claim to be fighting fascism, they have courted (and received) the support of far-right parties throughout Europe. Many participated as "observers" for Crimea's referendum vote and have come again today under the auspices of a heretofore unknown organization called the Agency for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Get it? Not OSCE, but ASCE).
Polling stations in self-proclaimed "LNR" to stay open until 10PM
Perhaps a bit of theatrics from the the self-proclaimed authorities in Luhansk, whose election commission has announced that due to high turnout, the hours of operation of some polling stations will be extended. Several Western journalists in the separatist regions have indeed reported long lines.
Robert Coalson just came back from a trip to Hungary, where he reported on the country's growing far-right influence.
And here's more on Moscow's courting of the European fringe.
Here is today's situation map of eastern Ukraine by the National Security and Defense Council:
Just in from TASS:
Some polling stations in the Luhansk People's Republic will remain open until 10 p.m. amid a high voter turnout, the head of the republic's Central Election Commission (CEC), Sergei Kozyakov, said.
"The CEC convened for an emergency session, and a decision was made that those polling stations that so far fail to cope with the flow of people, will remain open until 10 p.m.," he said.