"The holding on May 11 of an illegitimate 'referendum' on the status of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, inspired, organized and funded by the Kremlin, is legally null and void and will have no legal consequences for the territorial integrity and state system of Ukraine," the ministry said.

The ministry also noted that "the organizers of this criminal farce" had consciously violated the constitution and laws of Ukraine, ignoring calls from the Ukrainian authorities and the international community.

"Terrorist gangs, trained and armed in line with modern Russian standards, are behind 'referendums' and provocations," reads the statement.

It also notes that the vast majority of citizens of Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk regions "is not subject to these arbitrary actions and does not take a criminal 'ballot' aspersed with the blood of compatriots."

"The Ukrainian people do not recognize any terrorist referendums in Donetsk, Luhansk regions, or Crimea. Such is the reaction of the international community," the ministry said, adding that Ukraine stands for a national unity dialogue "in which there is no place for threats and terrorism, but there is openness and unity of all people around goodwill, who seek peace, stability and prosperity for Ukraine."

The clumsy attempt of the so-called referenda is not just illegal and illegitimate for a number of reasons, it tries to hide a bald statement of the fact that the vast majority (70%) in Ukraine’s east prefer unity, whereas mere 18% support secession, according to recent surveys conducted by the authoritative Pew Research Center in Ukraine in April.

The similar results were made public earlier by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) together with the Mirror of the Week (Dzerkalo Tyzhnya) weekly. According to the polls, about 15% of people living in the South-East of Ukraine want their region to be part of Russia, whereas in Donetsk region this figure is 27,5%.