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Supporters of Ukraine’s federalization in Lugansk deliver ultimatum to Kiev authorities

The protesters urge to amnesty all participants in the protest movement in Ukraine’s eastern regions, to grant the Russian language the status of a state language, and to organize a referendum

© ITAR-TASS/Valery Matytsin

KIEV, April 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Supporters of federalization in the city of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have delivered an ultimatum to the Kiev authorities urging them to fulfill a number of their demands till 14:00 local time (15:00 Moscow time) on April 29, local media reported on Sunday.

“If all the requirements of the local residents backed by the Geneva accord are not fulfilled, all power bodies in Kiev will be labeled as anti-popular and criminal,” protesters said in a statement, warning of possible “active actions,” not specifying however what kind of actions they might stage.

The protesters urge to “amnesty all participants in the protest movement in Ukraine’s eastern regions, to grant the Russian language the status of a state language, and to organize a referendum of the region’s self-determination.”

On April 6, supporters of federalization, who refer to themselves as the “army of the southeast,” seized the building of Ukraine’s Security Service. Some days ago, they announced the establishment of the headquarters of the Ukrainian southeastern regions, which was tasked to coordinate the activities of such headquarters in other cities.

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