STORY: The proximity to Russia is visible in many places in Luhansk. The region in eastern Ukraine is controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Now the citizens of the self-declared People’s Republic are to vote on whether they should officially belong to Russia in the future. The separatist leader in Luhansk, Leonid Pasechnik, announced in a statement published on Tuesday that a referendum would take place between September 23 and 27. On the streets of Luhansk, citizens expressed their approval. Some expect a landslide victory. “We must be under the protection of Russia,” says this man. “We lived in the USSR and we will live with Russia.” “I think everyone will vote for joining Russia. I don’t know who will be against it. And those who are against: welcome to Ukraine.” On Tuesday, however, there was talk of a breach of international law on the streets of Zaporizhia. Many citizens who fled from the occupied territories are staying in the city. “This referendum is absolutely illegal and illegitimate and is being held in violation of every possible rule,” says this man, who fled a village in the Donetsk region in April. “It means that the will of the people will certainly not be taken into account. It is a sham task to show that the occupied territories want to join the Russian Federation, which is a total lie.” “I am Ukrainian and live in my country. What kind of referendum could be held on Ukrainian territory?” The controversial referendums are also planned in the Zaporizhia region as well as in Cherson and Donetsk. However, it is still unclear how they will be organized. In the Donetsk region, for example, Russian troops and their allied separatists hold only 60 percent of the territory. Ukraine and the West have also already announced that they will not recognize the referenda.