Fireworks after fights in Donetsk, Ukraine

After weeks of bloody street clashes, fireworks lit the Donetsk sky last night, in Ukraine, as people celebrated their self-claimed independence from Kiev.

The parties followed Sunday’s unofficial referendum when almost 90% of the Donetsk population voted for a People’s Republic. Separatists leaders in the city now believe they are a sovereign state and are looking towards Russia.

Denis Pushilin, co-chair of the Donetsk People’s Republic, addressed the crowd: ‘Basing itself on the will of the people in the Donetsk People’s Republic and seeking the restoration of historic justice, we ask the Russian Federation to consider a merger of the Donetsk People’s Republic within the Russian Federation.’

Future plans for separatists include a second ballot on joining Russia to be held together with the neighboring region og Luhansk, sometime next week.