8 May 2014

The interim Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yatsenyuk, has said that he considers the statements on Ukraine made on May 7 by Putin suspicious and a possible prelude to new provocations by Moscow: ‘Vladimir Putin’s statement alarmed me…It gave me a sense of foreboding, They say one thing and do something else.’

The leaders of the self-declared "People's Republic of Donetsk" flexed their muscles in front of the world's media, apparently demonstrating they would not be pushed around by Russia's Vladimir Putin. In total 78 self-appointed "deputies" acting on behalf of those who no longer want to be part of Ukraine had taken the decision to ignore Mr Putin's suggestion that the referendum be postponed.

The Pew Research Centre in Ukraine and Russia published survey results that a clear majority of Ukrainians agree that their country should remain a single, unified state. Among Ukrainians, 77% say Ukraine should remain united, compared with 14% who think regions should be permitted to secede if they so desire.

The survey in Ukraine finds that ethnic Ukrainians and ethnic Russians largely have favourable views of one another. 

Russia is viewed with the greatest suspicion. Three times as many Ukrainians say Russia is having a bad influence on their country as say it is having a good impact (67% vs. 22%). At the same time, overall confidence in Putin’s handling of world affairs has plummeted from 56% in 2007 to 23% today.