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Anti-Kiev separatists arrive in Moscow to push the agenda for eastern regions of Ukraine to join the Russian Federation¹. It comes after the EU and US declared self-rule referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk illegal.

Pro-Russian separatist leaders who organised the referendum in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region are asking Russia to annex² the area.

In a statement the Kremlin said it supports what it calls, "the will of the people," in the referendum. But it didn’t go so far as the publicly endorse³ the requests for annexation⁴. In Moscow pro-Russian spokespeople from eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region say they belong with Russia.

"I believe that if you asked Russians of course they would gladly accept into their house the people of Donbass, but the official position of the state maybe can only be said by official sources."

The Russian government is trying a huge media push to promote feelings of national pride among Russians. When we went to speak to them, we heard mixed views about the desirability of eastern Ukraine becoming part of Russia.

"People really want it, to be part of our country. It’s visible from the flags waving from their balconies. I think that Donetsk needs to be part of our country."

"Of course it will be difficult in Russia. it will be difficult to have another region. We have our own problems here but, if they want I’m not against it, personally."

"To incorporate Luhansk and Donetsk regions our country needs to have significant budgetary resources."

In Kiev, the government rejects the referendums as a Russian sponsored, "criminal farce," designed to dismember the country. But the pro-Russians from eastern Ukraine speaking in Moscow say the interim⁵ Ukrainian government is to blame.

"All that is going on in Kiev, especially with the acting⁶ President who doesn’t even have a legal status, it is simply an occupation of Ukraine.”

Moscow says there must be dialogue in Ukraine before elections due on the 25th. Kiev, however, says it will not negotiate with terrorists. And the pro-Russians from eastern Ukraine represented here in Moscow are also refusing to take part in talks.