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Ukraine's Luhansk Region to Go Ahead With Referendum May 11

RIA Novosti

15:38 08/05/2014

MOSCOW, May 8 (RIA Novosti) – The People's Committee in Ukraine's southeastern region Luhansk has decided to go ahead with a referendum on the self-determination of the region scheduled for Sunday.

'The Referendum will be held May 11, and we are getting ready … there will be no postponement,' the press service of the Ukrainian Southeastern Army told RIA Novosti Thursday.

The mainly Russian-speaking southeastern region of Luhansk, along with Donetsk, announced a referendum on self-determination to be held on May 11 after refusing to recognize the legitimacy of Ukraine's interim government.

Kiev's parliament-appointed acting authorities ousted the country's elected president, Viktor Yanukovych, late February following the so-called Euromaidan mass rallies in Kiev. Early presidential elections were scheduled for May 25.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday urged pro-federalization activists in southeastern Ukraine to postpone referendums on self-determination to ensure the start of nationwide dialog. Pro-federalization activists in both Luhansk and Donetsk refused to put off the date, which Putin said would have been 'a step toward the Ukrainian people rather than a step toward the [interim government in] Kiev.'

Kiev has launched a special operation to crack down on the protesters, leading to violent clashes in southeastern Ukraine and dozens of casualties. Last Friday, 46 protesters were killed and over 200 were injured in the port city of Odessa. Ukrainian Secretary to the Committee on National Security Andriy Parubiy said earlier on Thursday that operations would continue regardless of the decision of the Donetsk People's Republic to hold a referendum on the region's status or not.

Russia has repeatedly condemned Kiev's military operation against the restive regions and urged an immediate withdrawal of Ukrainian troops, as well as the start of comprehensive national dialogue to de-escalate the situation in the crisis-hit country.