SLAVYANSK, Ukraine
Pro-Russian protesters are continuing to occupy government buildings in eastern Ukraine despite an international agreement that they would evacuate them.
The United States, the European Union, Russia and Ukraine agreed in Geneva on Thursday that all illegal armed groups in the region must disband and vacate seized buildings.
But some pro-Russian militia on Friday refused to evacuate until a referendum in the Donetsk region is held by May 11, similar to the one held last month after which Russia annexed the Crimea.
Meanwhile, interim president Aleksandr Turchynov and PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced they would strengthen constitutional rights to use the Russian language and give it a special status in regions where the majority speaks the language.
The crisis began in November after Ukraine’s former president Viktor Yanukovych announced he would give up on a trade deal with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia.
It was followed by mass protests that led to the ousting of Yanukovych and his government.
The situation then intensified due to a referendum in Crimea in March and the region's subsequent annexation by Russia.
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