Hours before the parliamentary elections on Sunday, Ukraine's civil unrest continues to divide "new Russia" separatists and united Ukraine believers.  Marina Demko, who is seeking a parliament position, admits that campaigning has been harder since rebels occupied a larger part of Donetsk, forcing residents to leave their homes.

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Based on United Nations data, more than 400,000 Ukrainians are forced out of the country.  Moreover, the disputed Crimean Peninsula intensifies tension in the region even after former president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February, and then consequently flew to Russia.

Residents in rebel-occupied Novotroitske and Dokuchayevsk are too concerned with prolonged violence and gunfires that they cannot seem to care whether or not they can make it to the polling precincts.

Today, soldiers, activists are among the members of society running for parliament offices with little or no political experience. They want Ukraine to be a part of Europe, said 53-year-old Irina Sobko, a member of the election committee.

While it is expected that President Petro Poroshenko will remain in position, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk warned Ukrainians that Russia may attempt to disrupt elections. 

On the other hand, eastern separatists are looking to conduct their own elections on November 3, select another prime minister and lawmaking council in the so-called "self-declared republic."

Russia is currently under United States and EU sanctions for allegedly supporting rebels with high-grade weapons to fuel violence.  President Vladimir Putin also recognized his participation in helping Yanukovych's exile.

Meanwhile, Poroshenko's influence on other pro-European groups such as the Yatseniuk's People's Front and Radical Party led by Oleh Lyashko will soon provide the country its long-awaited peace plan.

According to Chairman Serhiy Tkachenko of Donetsk-based election monitoring group, nine of the 21 voting districts are under the Ukrainian government and eight are controlled by the rebel groups.  Entities who run the remaining four are uncertain as of writing.

Like Demko, political leaders are looking forward to a progressive Ukraine that is open to European tradeoffs.  Yelena Viktorovna, 39, a voting registration officer, said most Ukrainians barely talk about the elections because "people just want the war to end."

TagsUkraine, parliament elections in Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko, Russia