Edited sentence: Although Vladimir Putin stated that the referendum was held in accordance to the democratic standards, the Ukrainian officials, as well as Mustafa Dzhemilev, Refat Chubarov and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People claimed that the voter turnout in the referendum among Crimeans could only be a maximum of 30–40 percent and that the referendum was undemocratic,  hastily prepared, falsified and didn't reflect the real will of the Crimeans.Pro-Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar activists were reported to have been persecuted and kidnapped, and only pro-Russian billboards were seen in the streets before the referendum