MOSCOW, May 8 (RIA Novosti) – The Kremlin is going to take time to analyze the situation in Ukraine after federalists in southeastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk decided to go ahead with referendums on greater autonomy, the Kremlin said Thursday.
“There is new information that needs to be analyzed,” presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had urged pro-federalization activists on Wednesday to put off the referendum to ensure the start of national dialog to resolve the ongoing crisis in the country.
On Thursday, authorities in Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking Donetsk and Luhansk regions announced they had unanimously voted to press on with the votes scheduled for this Sunday, adding preparations were already underway.
The Secretary of Ukraine’s Committee on National Security Andry Paruby said earlier on Thursday that Kiev’s “anti-terror” operation would continue regardless of the decision of the Donetsk People’s Republic to hold a referendum on the region’s status.
