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Ukraine's Luhansk May Now Hold Referendum On Joining Russia

ReutersMay 12, 2014, 16:34 IST

Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Ukraine's eastern region of Luhansk may hold a referendum on joining Russia, state news agency RIA reported on Monday, citing a spokesman for the region's pro-Russian separatists.

"If this decision (to hold a referendum on joining Russia) is taken, then, respectively, the will of the people will be taken into account," RIA cited a spokesman for the pro-Russian separatists.

The region was one of two Ukrainian provinces that held a referendum on self-rule on Sunday. A referendum organizer was reported as saying that 96.2 percent of voters supported autonomy for Luhansk.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly, Editing by Thomas Grove)