This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27320806
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russia rebel vote to go ahead | Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russia rebel vote to go ahead |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pro-Russian activists in eastern Ukraine have decided to go ahead with an independence referendum on Sunday, despite a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone it. | |
| The move was announced by separatist leaders after consulting supporters. | The move was announced by separatist leaders after consulting supporters. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Putin called for a postponement to create the conditions necessary for dialogue. | On Wednesday, Mr Putin called for a postponement to create the conditions necessary for dialogue. |
| Ukrainian authorities say they will disregard the results and that "anti-terror" operations will continue. | Ukrainian authorities say they will disregard the results and that "anti-terror" operations will continue. |
| Millions of ballot papers have been prepared for the referendum. The question put to voters is: "Do you support the act of proclamation of independent sovereignty for the Donetsk People's Republic?'' | |
| The decision to press with the vote ahead was announced by separatist leaders in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. | |
| The leader in Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, said it had been unanimous. "We just voice what the people want and demonstrate through their actions," he said. | |
| A spokesman for the Kremlin said there was "little information" and that it needed to further analyse the situation. | A spokesman for the Kremlin said there was "little information" and that it needed to further analyse the situation. |
| The BBC's Richard Galpin in Donetsk says tensions are running high amid fears that a vote will exacerbate tensions and possibly plunge the country into a full-blown civil war. | The BBC's Richard Galpin in Donetsk says tensions are running high amid fears that a vote will exacerbate tensions and possibly plunge the country into a full-blown civil war. |
| 'Illegitimate referendum' | 'Illegitimate referendum' |
| Moscow has vowed to protect the rights of Ukraine's Russian-speaking population against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev. | Moscow has vowed to protect the rights of Ukraine's Russian-speaking population against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev. |
| Ukrainian authorities have rejected activist demands for greater autonomy and troops have been battling to regain official buildings occupied by rebels in the east. | Ukrainian authorities have rejected activist demands for greater autonomy and troops have been battling to regain official buildings occupied by rebels in the east. |
| The European Union weighed in on Thursday, warning that "such a vote could have no democratic legitimacy and would only further worsen the situation". | The European Union weighed in on Thursday, warning that "such a vote could have no democratic legitimacy and would only further worsen the situation". |
| The separatists' decision to hold the referendum comes as a Pew Research Center poll released on Thursday shows that a strong majority of Ukrainians want their country to remain unified, even in the largely Russian-speaking east. | The separatists' decision to hold the referendum comes as a Pew Research Center poll released on Thursday shows that a strong majority of Ukrainians want their country to remain unified, even in the largely Russian-speaking east. |
| The US and the European Union have imposed sanctions against several Russian individuals and businesses and threatened wider measures if Moscow interferes further in eastern Ukraine. | The US and the European Union have imposed sanctions against several Russian individuals and businesses and threatened wider measures if Moscow interferes further in eastern Ukraine. |
| Sunday's planned referendum was seen as a potential trigger for that. | Sunday's planned referendum was seen as a potential trigger for that. |
| Russian 'shift' | Russian 'shift' |
| Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniyuk dismissed Mr Putin's calls to delay the referendum as "hot air". | Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniyuk dismissed Mr Putin's calls to delay the referendum as "hot air". |
| But the Russian president appeared to depart further from policy when he said that presidential elections due on 25 May in Ukraine were a move "in the right direction". | But the Russian president appeared to depart further from policy when he said that presidential elections due on 25 May in Ukraine were a move "in the right direction". |
| His remarks came just days after his spokesman said holding such an election would be absurd. | His remarks came just days after his spokesman said holding such an election would be absurd. |
| Meanwhile in the south-eastern port city of Mariupol, the city hall has changed for the third time in two days. Ukrainian forces are now back in control, after seizing it from pro-Russian activists on Wednesday - only to be expelled a few hours later. | Meanwhile in the south-eastern port city of Mariupol, the city hall has changed for the third time in two days. Ukrainian forces are now back in control, after seizing it from pro-Russian activists on Wednesday - only to be expelled a few hours later. |
| On Thursday US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns said Russia was heading down an "irresponsible path" over Ukraine, and that the situation there was "extremely combustible". | On Thursday US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns said Russia was heading down an "irresponsible path" over Ukraine, and that the situation there was "extremely combustible". |
| Unrest in the south and east of Ukraine has worsened since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in March. | Unrest in the south and east of Ukraine has worsened since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in March. |
| That followed the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February by pro-Western protesters. | That followed the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February by pro-Western protesters. |