Pro-russia Vote

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Russia Monday to respect "the unity of Ukraine" in the wake of elections held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Pro-Russian rebels elected a separatist leadership in eastern Ukraine on Sunday in a vote President Petro Poroshenko called "a farce."

The United States said Friday it would not recognise weekend elections planned by pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine, where more than 4,000 people have been killed according to new UN figures.

The pro-Russian party that ruled Ukraine under ousted president Viktor Yanukovych said Sunday it would boycott next month's parliamentary polls and form an "opposition government" to fight for regional powers and against Kiev's westward course.

At least 30 bodies of killed fighters have been brought to a hospital following a day of heavy fighting in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, in which the government forces used combat jets against pro-Russia rebels, an insurgent said Tuesday.

Three days before Ukraine holds a key presidential vote, pro-Russia insurgents attacked a military checkpoint Thursday in eastern Ukraine, killing 13 troops in the deadliest raid yet in weeks of fighting, Ukraine's leader said

Pro-Russia insurgents declared independence Monday for Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions and those in Donetsk even asked to join Russia - a day after they held a vote that Ukraine's government and the West said violated international law.

The International Monetary Fund said Monday it was "monitoring the situation" in Ukraine after disputed pro-Russia separatist votes in the east of the country.

Voting began on Sunday in referendums called by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine to split from the rest of the former Soviet republic, polls the US slammed as "illegal" amid fears they could spark civil war.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on Russia Monday to respect "the unity of Ukraine" in the wake of elections held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Pro-Russian rebels elected a separatist leadership in eastern Ukraine on Sunday in a vote President Petro Poroshenko called "a farce."

The United States said Friday it would not recognise weekend elections planned by pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine, where more than 4,000 people have been killed according to new UN figures.

The pro-Russian party that ruled Ukraine under ousted president Viktor Yanukovych said Sunday it would boycott next month's parliamentary polls and form an "opposition government" to fight for regional powers and against Kiev's westward course.

At least 30 bodies of killed fighters have been brought to a hospital following a day of heavy fighting in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, in which the government forces used combat jets against pro-Russia rebels, an insurgent said Tuesday.

Three days before Ukraine holds a key presidential vote, pro-Russia insurgents attacked a military checkpoint Thursday in eastern Ukraine, killing 13 troops in the deadliest raid yet in weeks of fighting, Ukraine's leader said

Pro-Russia insurgents declared independence Monday for Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions and those in Donetsk even asked to join Russia - a day after they held a vote that Ukraine's government and the West said violated international law.

The International Monetary Fund said Monday it was "monitoring the situation" in Ukraine after disputed pro-Russia separatist votes in the east of the country.

Voting began on Sunday in referendums called by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine to split from the rest of the former Soviet republic, polls the US slammed as "illegal" amid fears they could spark civil war.