Russian media present the Donetsk 'referendum' as legitimate, Kyiv as murderous, and the West as collaborating with fascists.

Farce and Tragedy in Donetsk

by Halya Coynash

While Western leaders make the usual threatening noises, Russian media present the Donetsk 'referendum' as legitimate, Kyiv as murderous, and the West as collaborating with fascists.

It was all for the cameras Sunday. EU countries got a chance to condemn a farcical pseudo-referendum in which people could vote on behalf of others and in which not living in the region was no impediment. They could even sound firm while doing nothing more than threatening more sanctions if the 25 May presidential election cannot be held.

And Russians, as well as the many Ukrainian viewers of Russian TV channels, learned that “according to the CEC 89.7 percent of voters voted for the independence of the Donetsk region” and that the turnout was over 74 percent. They were also told, and apparently shown footage, “proving” that Ukrainian National Guard members shot at civilians in Krasnoarmeisk, killing at least one man. It is by no means clear who carried out the shooting, but that, of course, is not mentioned.

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