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Bill on state of emergency in eastern regions of Ukraine goes to parliament

“The decisions made by the people who have seized government institutions [in Donetsk] are unlawful,” the Kiev-appointed governor of the Donetsk region says

© ITAR-TASS/Artyom Geodakyan

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Ukraine creates anti-crisis headquarters, considers stronger penalties for separatism

KIEV, April 07. /ITAR-TASS/. A draft resolution introducing a state of emergency in the eastern Donetsk, Lugansk and Kharkov regions has been registered in the Ukrainian parliament.

The draft is being considered by the parliament leadership pending a plenary session scheduled for April 8.

The Kiev-appointed governor of the Donetsk region, Sergei Taruta, said the latest events in the eastern regions of Ukraine aimed to divide the country.

“The decisions made by the people who have seized government institutions [in Donetsk] are unlawful. A legitimate solution must be found by the incumbent Regional Council,” Taruta said in a statement.

He urged the protesters to leave the session room. “In order to avoid the use of force, further dialogue should be conducted on a legal basis only,” he said.

Demonstrators in Donetsk, who seized the regional administration building on Sunday, April 6, formed a Donetsk republic people’s council which declared “state autonomy of the Donetsk People’s Republic”.

The Donetsk people’s council also decided to hold a referendum on the status of the self-proclaimed republic no later than May 11.

In an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the council said in particular, “All these months Donbass residents have been trying to express their protest. We are appealing to Putin as only Russia can give us protection”.

“In the event of aggressive actions on the part of the Kiev authorities, we will ask the Russian Federation to deploy a temporary peacekeeping contingent in order to ensure the security of people in the Donetsk region,” the council said.

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Situation in Donetsk

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