Ukrainian Tycoon Rinat Akhmetov Confronts Rebellion
Rallies have been held in the Eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk in protest at Pro Russian Separatism , at the instigation of Ukraine's richest man , Steel magnate Rinat Akhmetov said "people are tired offf living in fear and terror" and accused separatists of leading Ukraine towards "genocide"
Hundreds of people attended a rally in Mr. Akhmetov's football stadium whilee others blared car horns , separatist leaders have threatened to "nationalise" Mr. Akhmetov's assets
Meanwhile Russia has said its troops on Ukraines border are set to withdraw , on Monday Russian President Vladimir Putin said troops had been ordered to pull back , but Nato later said there was no sign of redeployment
On Tuesday Russian Deouty Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters the process of withdrawl "had been started already"
Moscow has had tens of thousands of soldiers on the border , raising fears of a take over of Eastern Ukraine following Russia's annexation of Crimea
Mr. Akhmetov , whose fortune is estimated at more than $11bn ( £ 6.5 bn) is one of the most inflluential people in Eastern Ukraine , his enterprises are based in the Donbass , the industrial East of Ukraine , where the insurgency is at his peak and he is said to employ as many as 300,000 people
His allegiances , however , have been in doubt because of past links with ousted Pro Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych and business links with Russia
But in an address brodcast by his own Ukrayina T.V. channel he issued a stingi criticism of the separatist rebellion , he said Ukrainians , including his own employees , should stage a "peaceful warning protest" at their work places from noon on Tuesday , and that action should continue daily " until peace is established"
Otherwise he said he forsaw the "Genocide of (Donbass)
In response Denis Pushilin , who heads the self declared Donetsk People's Republic , said local industry would be "nationalised" if tycoons there refused to pay taxes to the rebel authorities
"Akhmetov had made his choice , unfortunately , he choose against the peoiple of Donbass , paying taxes to Kiev means financing terrorism in Donbass" , Mr. Pushilin was quoted s saying on the Donetsk People's Republic's twitter feed
Pro Russian rebels have taken control of parts of Eastern Ukraine including the major cities of Donetsk and Luhansk
Ukraine is due to hold Presidential elections on Sunday , but the election may not take place in rebel held parts in the East
The U.N. refugee agency says at least 10,000 people have been displaced from their homes since the start of the crisis in Ukraine , most of them ethnic Tartars who have left Crimea , but also other ethnicities and those from mixed families