Ukraine's Donetsk declares sovereignty and asks Putin to deploy peacemakers

Photo: AP photo

The Republican Council of the People's Republic of Donetsk addressed to the President of the Russian Federation with a request to deploy temporary peacekeeping contingent on the territory of the region. The deputies unanimously supported the appeal from the Republican Council of the People's Republic of Donetsk, vesti.ru reports.

In the Donetsk Regional Public Administration, a meeting of the people's council took place on Monday, April 7th. The participants of the meeting declared sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic. It was said that the declaration would  be the basis for the establishment of the republic.

"It is only the Supreme Council of the Republic that can speak on behalf of the People's Republic of Donetsk. Most important public issues associated with the development of the republic and its relations with other states shall be submitted for public discussion or referendum," the document said, Interfax reports.

In addition, the Council announced an intention to hold a referendum on the establishment of the Donetsk Republic no later than May 11th.

"The People's Republic of Donetsk shall be created within the administrative boundaries of the Donetsk region. The decision shall enter into force immediately after the referendum," reads the decision from the council. The date has been coordinated with activists in the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions.

The Donetsk Regional People's Council also requested assistance from the Russian leadership. "We are ready to fight for our ideas, our ideals, but without your support, without the support of Russia, it will be difficult for us to resist the Kiev junta," the statement says.

On Sunday, April 6th, a wave of pro-Russian rallies swept across several cities of eastern Ukraine. The rallies developed into protest actions against the incumbent authorities in Kiev.

In Donetsk, about 150 protesters broke into the regional administration building, demanding immediate convention of an extraordinary session of the regional council to make a decision about a referendum on becoming a part of the Russian Federation. On the night of April 7, demonstrators took over the administration building of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk.

In addition, unknown persons attempted to seize the building of the Donetsk Regional State TV and Radio Company. Gunshots could be heard on the scene.

As the press service of the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine said, a group of unidentified people came to the building of the broadcasting company and fired several shots in the air, Interfax said. Police officers on duty near the TV center fired back.

Pravda.Ru