As pro-Russians vote for “self-rule” in Donetsk and Luhansk in Maidan in Kyiv, the focal point of the revolution that ousted pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych, people reflected on the 110 protesters shot dead by sniper fire in February.

In Ukraine’s capital support for the ballots in the east is thin on the ground.

Many believe the people in the east have been duped: “This referendum is not the people’s will. It was organised by emissaries from Russia. Their goals are clear,to take from us as much of Ukraine as they can.There are a lot of people there fooled by the separatists. They think that Russia is the land of milk and honey.”

The acting government in Kyiv view the ballots in Donetsk and Luhansk as illegal and called for talks on greater autonomy for Ukraine’s eastern regions.

However agitators that seized government buildings would not be included in the discussions.