Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine went ahead with a scheduled "self-rule" referendum in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions Sunday despite condemnation by the Ukrainian government and Western nations, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin's own statement calling for the vote to be postponed.

Both sides appeared to doubt Putin's sincerity, an interpretation likely to lead to an increase in armed conflict.

Click HERE to read an exclusive analysis by LIGNET's top intelligence experts.