Ukraine: Donetsk declares "independence," wants to merge with Russia

According to Itar-Tass, deputies of the Donetsk Regional Council in eastern Ukraine have adopted a declaration of independence, according to which the province announced the establishment of the sovereign Donetsk People's Republic.

The new regime also announced that it will hold a referendum on joining Russia before May 11.

The republic "will build relations (with countries) in accordance with international law and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit," the republic's founding declaration said.

Pro-Russian protesters took to the streets in Donetsk on April 6 (Source: AFP)

Outside the Donetsk Regional Council building, a large crowd was rallying. They chanted "Russia, Russia."

As soon as it was established, the Donetsk Republic Council sent a petition to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian peacekeeping forces to "this country."

According to AFP, the above decision was announced by a spokesman for the protesters to journalists as he walked out of the occupied government building.

YouTube footage shows a Russian-speaking person addressing the crowd from a podium: "In order to establish a sovereign, legitimate and popular state, I declare the establishment of the sovereign state of the Donetsk People's Republic."

The announcement was met with cheers from about 100 people in what appeared to be a Donetsk government building.

The news website of the eastern industrial region of Ostrov reported that activists later expressed their determination to join the Russian Federation in a move similar to Crimea last month.

Interfax news agency said that the self-proclaimed leader of Donetsk has pledged to hold a referendum on sovereignty before May 11.

As of April 7, the Donetsk government building was still surrounded by about 2,000 pro-Russian protesters, some of whom were armed.

Pro-Russian protesters are also in control of the security service headquarters in the Lugansk region. In Kharkiv, protesters have left the government building after occupying it overnight.

Donetsk Mayor Sergiy Toruta has urged authorities to hold an emergency meeting of the national security and defense council in his region.

"Today, a plan is being implemented in the Donetsk, Lugank and Kharkiv regions to destabilize peace and social and economic stability," he said in a statement./.

According to VNA