A group of secessionists have read out the Declaration of independence of Donetsk People’s Republic in the Donetsk Rada [Council]. In their declaration the protesters refer to the UN Statute.
The audience, including representatives of cities of Donetsk region, have greeted the declaration ‘on behalf of the people and the people’s Assembly ’with applause.
After the break the assembly voted the appeal to Russia for ‘temporary establishing peacekeeping forces’.
It is to be recalled that groups of separatists occupied the buildings of the Security Service (SBU) in Donetsk and Luhansk (eastern Ukraine).
They demand to hold a referendum over two questions ‘Are you in favour of the merger of the Republic of Donetsk into the newly-formed federal Ukraine as a sub-federal entity?’ and ‘Are you in favour of the merger of the Republic of Donetsk into the Russian Federation as a sub-federal entity?’ At that, the people who barricaded themselves in the building have hung up Russian flags.
Some secessionists name some Ukraine’s regions ‘Novorossiya’ (New Russia), with Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhye, Luhansk, Odessa, Kharkiv, Kherson.
It is noteworthy that Viktor Yanukovych urged Ukrainians to hold referendums on the status of each region within Ukraine in his written address on March 28. The ousted president still considers himself a legitimate leader of the country.
“As the president whose thoughts and heart are together with you, I call on each reasonable citizen of Ukraine - don’t let the impostors use you! Demand a referendum on the determination of the status of each region within Ukraine,” he said.
