KIEV, Ukraine — Pro-Russian separatists who seized a provincial administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Monday proclaimed the region an independent republic in a move echoing the run-up to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The Interfax news agency said the activists demanded that a referendum be held no later than May 11
Pro-Russian East Ukraine Pushes For Independence
About half of the region’s residents are ethnic Russians, many of whom believe Ukraine’s acting authorities are Ukrainian nationalists who will oppress Russians.