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| Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin 'backs' 25 May election | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May is a step "in the right direction". | |
| But he said the 25 May vote would decide nothing unless the rights of "all citizens" are protected. | |
| Mr Putin also urged pro-Russian activists in south-eastern Ukraine to call off a series of independence referendums planned for this weekend. | |
| It comes amid high tension between Russia and Kiev, and its allies in the West, over the crisis in Ukraine. | |
| Russia has been accused of backing pro-Moscow activists in a bid to try and break up the country and annex more regions after Crimea. | |
| Moscow says it will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev. |