Russia claims positive results from four places in Ukraine in a referendum on whether Kyiv should become part of Russia.

Russia claimed a big victory in the referendum held in Luhansk, Donets, Kherson and Zaporizhia provinces under the Russian army.

Russian officials have said that Russia is entering the process of parliamentary approval to acquire these areas, which make up 15% of Ukraine.

Pro-Russian regional governments reported 98% in Luhansk, 99% in Donetsk, 87% in Kherson and 93% in Zaporizhia to leave Ukraine and join Russia.

There are also rumours that President Vladimir Putin may announce that these areas are part of Russia when he addresses parliament tomorrow.

The stage was set in Moscow's Red Square with giant screens reading 'Donsk, Luhansk, Seporsia, Kherson'. This means that Putin's announcement of the annexation of these territories to Russia can be expected at any moment.

Residents who escaped to Ukrainian-held areas in recent days have told of people being forced to mark ballots in the street by roving officials at gunpoint.

Footage filmed during the exercise showed Russian-installed officials taking ballot boxes from house to house with armed men in tow.

"They can announce anything they want. Nobody voted in the referendum except a few people who switched sides. They went from house to house but nobody came out," said Lyubomir Boyko, 43, from Golo Pristan, a village in Russian-occupied Kherson. province

Russia says voting was voluntary, in line with international law, and that turnout was high.

The referendums and notion of annexations have been rejected globally, as was Russia's 2014 takeover of Crimea from Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought to rally international support against annexation in a series of calls with foreign leaders, including those of Britain, Canada, Germany and Turkey.

Russia has announced that it will mobilize some 300,000 reservists to bolster its forces in Ukraine. The conscription drive has sent thousands of Russian men fleeing to other countries.

On the ground, Ukraine and Russian forces are engaged in heavy fighting, especially in the Donetsk region, where the governor said six civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Wednesday.

The US has stated that it will bring a resolution to the UN Security Council against the referendum.

The position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is that the referendum is illegal and does not accept the result.

A Russian government spokesman said 60 % of Donetsk was under the control of Russian forces or pro-Russian Ukrainian rebels.