The polls opened at 8AM Kyiv time (1AM ET) and the people brought their families to participate in this historic election. It is an election Ukraine and the West hope will restore order and bring peace to the troubled country.

#Ukraine. It’s one very large piece of paper. pic.twitter.com/jc85WceSKv

— Paul Sonne (@PaulSonne) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">

Politicians and the presidential candidates voted, too. Ukraine’s “Chocolate King” Petro Poroshenko is at 30%, which is a commanding lead over ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Prime Minister stood in line just like everyone else.

pic.twitter.com/gj0Ui4oQ5l

— Arseniy Yatsenyuk (@Yatsenyuk_AP) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">@Yatsenyuk_AP waits in line to vote in Kyiv. Break of VIP politics traditions#UkraineVotes pic.twitter.com/JEUwJplR4t

— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">
@Vitaliy_Klychko votes in #UkraineVotesvia @DEmmerichpic.twitter.com/ewaNFNLZya

— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Ukraine #UkraineVotes . pic.twitter.com/cyE05u5JWb

— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Ukraine‘s famed/ notorious presidential candidate/ ex-PM/ ex-convict Yulia Tymoshenko votes. via @Batkivshchyna pic.twitter.com/ZWIFGuLdkI

— Abigail Hauslohner (@ahauslohner) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">pic.twitter.com/eeH1CbfCWm

— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">

Yes, this really did happen.

#OnlyInUkraineDarth Vader at a polling station in Kiev: “Glory to Ukraine!” Via @NatVasilyevaAP #ukrainevotes pic.twitter.com/ByM0FXQBg4

— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Ukraine RT @mikeybbq: Spotted by a colleague at a polling station in Kyiv just now pic.twitter.com/wtzRIQNWnk

— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">

At 11AM, the turnout was 17.52% and the Kyiv turnout was the highest at 22.71%. The lowest was Donetsk at 5.48%.

#UkraineVotes 11 AM:Turnout #Ukraine 17.52%.Highest – #Kyiv region 22.71%Lowest – #Donetsk region 5.48% pic.twitter.com/tUoiYVtEN4

— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">

Journalists in east Ukraine tweeted pictures of empty ballot boxes and people. Others were told polling stations in the east were forcibly shut down by gunmen.

#Selidovo polling station set up and ready to go but no ballot papers EC hopeful will arrive later #Donetsk #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/HJMzOmoCuN

— Harriet Salem (@HarrietSalem) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Donetsk regional administration building. #Ukraine #Ukrainevotes pic.twitter.com/KwVQ843bNk

— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">
#Luhansk: both parents are election officials. At their polling station gunmen & police (!) arrived & shut it down #UkraineVotes

— Thomas C. Theiner (@noclador) May 25, 2014

Christopher Miller, editor of The Kyiv Post, is in Donetsk and reported that the Vostok Battalion arrived to welcoming arms.

#Donetsk. Women greet them with open arms, kisses. “Our heroes!” pic.twitter.com/MSNPiHbSuY

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">
#Donetsk and shower them their love. pic.twitter.com/jm89BkmzwW

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Donetsk. More than 120 of them rolled in here on one APC and at least six large trucks. pic.twitter.com/rp5ueDczGl

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Donetsk http://t.co/WhvA0Xi0UB

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">May 25, 2014" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">
@bopanc @marson_jr @PaulSonne Agreed. And taking orders from a middle-aged guy with a salt and pepper beard speaking Chechen. Weapons clean.

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">

Then the mob decided to march towards billionaire Rinat Akhmetov’s house in Donetsk.

#Donetsk. pic.twitter.com/SfBtyUdz6o

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Donetsk. pic.twitter.com/42AFvRDkql

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">
#Donetsk pic.twitter.com/CUrvGVCdkh

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">#Donetsk #Ukraine

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 25, 2014

" layout="responsive" width="600" height="480">