Voting began Friday in Moscow-held regions of Ukraine on referendums to become part of Russia, Russian-backed officials there said. The Kremlin-orchestrated referendums, which have been widely denounced by Ukraine and the West as shams without any legal force, are seen as a step toward annexing the territories by Russia. #moscow #ukraine #voting #newsy ------------------------------------- Newsy is your source for news and analysis covering the top stories from around the world. With persistent curiosity and no agenda, we strive to fuel meaningful conversations by highlighting multiple sides of every story. It’s news with the why. Join our newsletter at http://bit.ly/2q1tepr See more at http://www.newsy.com/ Like Newsy on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/newsy/ Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newsy