Separatists hail major victories in two Ukraine self-rule referenda

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region claimed a 90 percent majority voted for secession in Sunday's referenda, while in Luhansk they reported a high turnout with figures due later Monday. The US and EU have said the polls were illegal and would not be recognized. The separatists refused to heed President Vladimir Putin’s call for a delay. Chaotic scenes accompanied the often disorganized voting at many polling stations which took place under the eye of pro-independence "self-defense" militiamen. The Kiev government called it a “criminal farce” organized by Russia.