Voting begins in Russia's annexation plan for swathes of Ukraine

Voting began on Friday in four Ukrainian regions mostly held by Russian forces, the start of a plan by President Vladimir Putin annex a big chunk of Ukraine in what the West says is violation of international law that significantly escalates the war.

After nearly seven months of war that has killed tens of thousands and left some eastern cities of Ukraine wastelands, Putin signalled he will annex the regions if the people in the Russian-controlled areas vote to join Russia.

The voting, which the West and Ukraine says is a sham conducted under military occupation, began on Friday and will end on Tuesday, with results expected soon afterwards.

Voting is taking place in self-styled Donetsk (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republics (LPR), which Putin recognised as independent just before the invasion, and Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions