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Ukraine crisis: Deadline passes for pro-Russian separatists to disarm Ukraine crisis: Pro-Russian separatists launch fresh wave of attacks as Ukrainian President asks UN to send in the troops
(about 2 hours later)
Pro-Russian separatists who said they were part of a new "Donetsk People's Republic" in eastern Ukraine have appealed for Russian President Vladimir Putin to help defend them against Ukrainian government forces, it has been reported. Pro-Russian separatists continued to defy demands for them to lay down their arms as Ukraine’s acting president appealed for the United Nations to send in peacekeeping troops. 
Speaking at a news conference at the headquarters of the city administration of Slaviansk, a separatist leader asked Putin "to personally direct your attention to the unfolding situation and help us as much as you can," the Reuters news agency reported. Amid growing tensions across the east of Ukraine, protesters appeared to ignore a deadline on Monday morning to leave government buildings or be faced with reprisals by Ukrainian forces.
The news follows the passing of a deadline given by the Ukrainian government to pro-Russian separatists, ordering them to disarm and end their occupation of state buildings by Monday morning. Protesters are now thought to have occupied state buildings in 10 cities across the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In an ultimatum issued on Sunday night in a televised address, the country's acting president, Oleksander Turchynov, promised an amnesty to pro-Russian fighters who laid down their arms and left government buildings by 9am (6am GMT). Otherwise, he warned, a full-scale "anti-terrorist" operation would begin. In Horlivka a 100-strong crowd attacked the police headquarters in a fresh assault, a witness told Reuters. Video footage on Ukrainian television showed an ambulance treating people who were apparently injured during the attack in the city in the Donetsk region, which has a population of around 300,000 people.
According to reports in the flashpoint city of Slovyansk, where armed men have seized two government buildings, there was no outward sign the rebels were complying with the ultimatum. Armed men in masks also took over a military airport outside the flashpoint city of Slovyansk, also in Donetsk.
And in the city of Horlivka at least 100 pro-Russian separatists attacked the police headquarters in a fresh assault, a witness told Reuters. Later, protesters claiming to be part of a new "Donetsk People's Republic" asked Vladimir Putin to provide assistance as they continue to disobey orders from Kiev.
Video footage on Ukrainian television showed an ambulance treating people who were apparently injured during the attack on the main police building in the Donetsk region city, which has a population of around 300,000 people. Speaking at a news conference at the headquarters of the city administration of Slovyansk, a separatist leader called on the Russian President “to personally direct your attention to the unfolding situation and help us as much as you can”, the Reuters news agency reported.
The developments came after Mr Turchynov accused Russia of persistent provocation following the departure of Moscow-backed former president Viktor Yanukovich amid months of pro-Western protests. The acting Ukraine president, Oleksander Turchynov, sought to quell the uprising on Sunday night with the threat of a full-scale “anti-terror operation”. In a statement, he promised an amnesty to pro-Russian fighters who surrendered their weapons and left government buildings by 9am (6am GMT) on Monday.
“The blood of Ukrainian heroes has been shed in a war that the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine,” he said. It has also emerged that Mr Turchynov has spoken with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to suggest that Ukrainian security forces and UN peacekeepers unite in an “anti-terrorist” operation.
“The aggressor has not stopped and is continuing to sow disorder in the east of the country.” However, such a move is unlikely to happen as it would have to be authorised by the UN Security Council, in which Russia holds a veto. 
However, Mr Turchynov has said the Kiev government is "not against" a nationwide referendum being held to decide how Ukraine should move forward. He said he thought such a poll would confirm people's desire for a united and independent Ukraine. Mr Turchynov has accused Russia of persistent provocation following the departure of Moscow-backed former president Viktor Yanukovich amid months of pro-Western protests.
Pro-separatist rebels have been demanding a referendum, but they only want it held in their home region rather than across the country. “The blood of Ukrainian heroes has been shed in a war that the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine,” he said in a televised address on Sunday. “The aggressor has not stopped and is continuing to sow disorder in the east of the country.”
Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Ukraine's Russian-speaking eastern regions should be involved in drafting a constitution that should be put to the referendum. However, Mr Turchynov has said the Kiev government is “not against” a nationwide referendum to decide how Ukraine should move forward. He said he thought such a poll would confirm people's desire for a united and independent Ukraine.
Speaking at a news conference after meeting his Sudanese counterpart, Lavrov said it was not in Russia's interests for Ukraine to break up, but that Moscow wanted all citizens of the country to be given equal treatment by Kiev. Pro-separatist rebels have demanded a referendum, but they only want it held in their home region rather than across the country
In other developments, the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov said that Ukraine's Russian-speaking eastern regions should be involved in drafting a constitution that should be put to the referendum.
Mr Lavrov said it was not in Russia's interests for Ukraine to break up, but that Moscow wanted all citizens of the country to be given equal treatment by Kiev.
He denied Ukrainian and US allegations that Russia had undercover agents fomenting unrest in eastern Ukraine, and said he was seeking explanation of media reports that the director of the CIA, John Brennan, had visited Kiev.He denied Ukrainian and US allegations that Russia had undercover agents fomenting unrest in eastern Ukraine, and said he was seeking explanation of media reports that the director of the CIA, John Brennan, had visited Kiev.
Mr Turchynov and other leaders blame Russia, which has already annexed the Crimea region, for inspiring and organising a rash of rebellions in Slovyansk and other Russian-speaking towns in eastern Ukraine. Mr Turchynov and other leaders blame Russia, which has already annexed the Crimea region, for inspiring and organising the series of rebellions.
Angered by the death of a state security officer and the wounding of two comrades near Slovyansk, Mr Turchynov warned rebels that a full-scale security operation, including the army, would be unleashed unless they met the deadline. The crisis has brought relations between Russia and the West to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War in 1991 but, with tensions building in the region, there are fears that any full-scale military operation by Ukraine could precipitate an invasion by Russian forces.
Just hours before the Monday deadline, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency session on Sunday night at Russia's request. Last week Nato released satellite images showing what it said were some 40,000 Russian soldiers near the Ukrainian border, along with long lines of tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery and aircraft ready for action.
“We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine,” Mr Turchynov said. Moscow dismissed the pictures, saying they were from last August, but Nato said the images indicated that Russia was ready for action at the drop of a hat.
The crisis has brought relations between Russia and the West to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War in 1991 and also carries a risk of unleashing a “gas war” which could disrupt energy supplies across Europe. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary William Hague has accused Russia of deliberately destabilising eastern Ukraine.
Use of force by Kiev's pro-Europe authorities could trigger a fresh confrontation from Russia. Russia's foreign ministry called the planned military operation a “criminal order” and said the West should bring its allies in Ukraine's government under control. Speaking on Monday at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxemburg to discuss the crisis, Mr Hague dismissed denials of Russian involvement.
“At this moment, Ukraine teeters on the brink,” the assistant UN Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco told Security Council members. “There can't really be any real doubt that this is something that has been planned and brought about by Russia,” he said. “I don't think denials of Russian involvement have a shred of credibility.”
He said UN monitors in eastern Ukraine have described seeing pro-separatist protesters as being armed with machine guns and sniper rifles. He added that recent events mirrored Russia’s actions in seizing Crimea from Ukraine: “It has all the appearance of a further gross deliberate, premeditated violation of the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.”
The US warned that it was likely to impose further sanctions on the Kremlin if the escalation in eastern Ukraine continues. Following a phone call, Prime Minster David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russia to censure the rebels.
“The fact is that many of the armed units that we've seen were outfitted in bulletproof vests, camouflage uniforms with insignia removed,” US Ambassador Samantha Power said. “He and Chancellor Merkel agreed about the importance of condemning the illegal occupation of government buildings in eastern Ukraine,” Cameron's official spokesman told reporters.
“These armed units ... raised Russian and separatist flags over seized buildings and have called referendums and union with Russia. We know who is behind this.” “They believe the Russian government should be unequivocally condemning that action too."
Ukraine's UN Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev added: “This is not a war between Ukrainians, this was artificially created.” The UK said it would be pushing for the EU to impose further sanctions against Russia for its actions. A so-called “third phase” of EU sanctions is expected to include restrictions on trade and finance with Russia, potentially with wide-reaching repercussions for the Russian and EU economies.
But Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin denied Western and Ukrainian claims that Moscow was behind the violence, and told UN diplomats that Ukraine has been using radical neo-Nazi forces to destabilize its eastern region.But Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin denied Western and Ukrainian claims that Moscow was behind the violence, and told UN diplomats that Ukraine has been using radical neo-Nazi forces to destabilize its eastern region.
“It is the West that will determine the opportunity to avoid civil war in Ukraine. Some people, including in this chamber, do not want to see the real reasons for what is happening in Ukraine and are constantly seeing the hand of Moscow in what is going on,” Churkin said.“It is the West that will determine the opportunity to avoid civil war in Ukraine. Some people, including in this chamber, do not want to see the real reasons for what is happening in Ukraine and are constantly seeing the hand of Moscow in what is going on,” Churkin said.
“Enough. That is enough.”“Enough. That is enough.”
He said after the meeting that he hoped Western powers would pressure Ukraine to rethink its deadline for sending in troops.He said after the meeting that he hoped Western powers would pressure Ukraine to rethink its deadline for sending in troops.
“Whether they are going to put an end to this provocation by Kiev, this is their responsibility to prevent further escalation of this crisis,” Churkin said.“Whether they are going to put an end to this provocation by Kiev, this is their responsibility to prevent further escalation of this crisis,” Churkin said.
In Slovyansk, a town of about 120,000 people where separatists are occupying a three-storey police headquarters and the offices of the state security service, there was tension in the air as people tried to go about their normal daily business, Reuters reported.
In front of the police headquarters occupied by the separatists a group of about 40 people, who are there in solidarity with the rebels, were warming themselves by blazing fires from oil barrels.
Barricades closing off entry to the building were still manned and there were no external signs of any surrender of arms.
School and colleges have been closed and parents advised to keep their children indoors.
Alexei Myzenko, a 38-year-old bank teller, was at work as usual, but he said he and his wife had told their son, who is at university in the eastern town of Kharkiv, not to attend lectures on Monday.
“We didn't want anything to happen to him,” said Myzenko.
“Of course, some people are afraid. But they are still lining up to get their pensions,” he said.
Myzenko said his wife, who is a teacher, had been called by the town administration to tell her that school was cancelled until further notice.
Iryna Zemlyanskaya, 62, who works as a pharmacist, said: “I am going to work. They've promised to use force so many times and have not done a single thing. No-one's even afraid anymore.”
Additional reporting by agenciesAdditional reporting by agencies