Kiev pledges to stop the referendum

Contradictory declarations steam between Ukrainian pro-Russian supporters and president Vladimir Putin after separatists vowed to push forward with the referendum while the Russian president advised that it would be better for Ukraine to postpone the vote.

Kiev officials stated that they plan on doing everything in their power to stop the so-called referendum from which separatists hope to gain independence for the Donetsk and the Luhansk regions.

Valentyn Nalyvayshenko, Head of Ukraine’s SBU Security Service, told reporters that: ‘Today and tomorrow, authorities and law enforcement agencies will be doing everything possible to stop the financing of this so-called referendum.’

Ukrainian officials hope that ‘law-abiding civil organizations will not take part in’ the referendum planned for Sunday which might tear the country apart.