Donetsk gives Ukraine forces ultimatum for withdrawal
Iran Press TV
Thu May 15, 2014 9:53AM GMT
Self-defense forces in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk have issued an ultimatum for the Kiev military troops to withdraw from the province within 24 hours.
Deputy Commander of "the People's Militia of Donbass" Sergey Zdrilyuk said the Ukrainian troops will be forced out of Donetsk if they do not withdraw before the deadline, Russia's Ria Novosti news agency reported on Thursday.
"I give 24 hours for them to withdraw all troops, all forces," Zdrilyuk said, adding, "If the armored vehicles are not pulled back, the roadblocks of the so-called legitimate authorities are not removed, I will have enough power" to take them out of the province.
The remarks come three days after Ukraine's two eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk declared independence following local referendums in which the regions' residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Kiev.
According to pro-Russia activists, 90 percent of the voters in Donetsk voted in favor of independence from Ukraine. Results in Lugansk also showed that 96.2 percent of voters supported independence from the government in Kiev.
The referendum results were similar to that of a March vote in Crimea that led to the unification of the region with the Russian Federation. Nearly 97 percent of participants in Crimea's referendum voted for joining Russia.
SSM/HJL
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