Whether true or not, the result matters insofar as it repudiates all the Western polls that purported to show eastern Ukrainians were in love with the Maidan regime. Clearly, in Donetsk they’re not. There is widespread disaffection and the fact people turned out to vote under circumstances nothing short of an outright civil war is stunning.
It may not be legal but it strengthens Russia’s hand and if the results are close like that also in Lugansk, it only reveals how unrepresentative the upcoming May 25 presidential elections are going to be. Of course Kiev and its Western backers will close their eyes and pretend it means nothing. How very convenient.
You do realize how your post negates itself, right?