The rebels have called for a referendum on secession from Ukraine by 11 May.
Ukrainian security officials are being sent to the eastern cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv after pro-Russia groups occupied government buildings.
Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov called the unrest an attempt by Russia to "dismember" Ukraine.
In an address on national TV, he said it was "the second wave" of a Russian operation to destabilise Ukraine, overthrow the government and disrupt planned elections.
Russia's foreign ministry accused Kiev of "blaming" Moscow for all its troubles.
But US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the events "did not appear to be spontaneous".
He called on Russia to "publicly disavow the activities of separatists, saboteurs and provocateurs" in a phone call to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
The pair also discussed convening direct talks between Ukraine, Russia, the US and the European Union within ten days, the US state department said.
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