Separatists To Debate Putin
Separatist leaders in Donetsk and Lahansk say they will put the matter before "People's Councls" , the referendums are due to take place on Sunday and millions of ballot papers have been prepared
Mr. Putin has said putting off the vote could help create the conditions neccessary for dialogue
In what appeared to be a shift in Russian policy , Mr. Putin also said this month's Presidential elections in Ukraine were a move in the right direction
His remarks came days after his spokesman said holding such an election would be absurd
Moscow has vowed to protect the rights of the largely Russian speaking people in the South and East against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev
Ukraine's interim authorities have reflected Pro Russian activists demands for greater autonomy and sent in troops to seize back official buildings occupied by rebels
"We respect Putin's stance"' said Denis Pushilih , a Pro Russian leader in the Eastern city of Donetsk
"He is a balanced Politician , therefore we will submit his proposal to the People's Council"
In Luhansk , a statement from Pro Russian groups quoted by Russian news agency Ria Novosti said " we are putting this forward for discussion by all the people because Putin has appealed to supporters of federalistion , therefore a decision will be for all the people of Luhansk"
The White House said "Illegitimate , Illegal " vote should be cancelled rather than postponed
And Ukrainian Interior Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk dismissed Mr. Putin's calls as "hot air"
The U.S. and E.U. have imposed sanctions against several Russian individuals and small buisnesses and threatened to impose wider measures if Moscow takes further steps to interfere in Ukraine
Sunday's planned referendum was seen as a potential trigger for that , on Wednesday , President Putin announced he was ordering Russian troops back from the Ukrainian border
However Nato and the Pentagon say they had seen no signs of a Russian pull back
On Ukraine's forthcoming Presidential elections , Mr. Putin said "I would like to stress that while they are a move in the right direction , (they) will not decide anything if all the citizens of Ukraine fail to understand how their rights are protected after the elections are held"
Unrest in the South and East of Ukraine has worsened since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in March
On Wednesday , Pro Russian separatists took back the city hall in the Southern port of Mariupol after it was breifly taken over by Ukrainian government forces
In that time 16 activists were arrested and taken to the city's police station where a violent confrontation erupted between the detainee's , supporters and security forces who fired shots in the air