Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin 'backs 25 May election'

 

 Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Ukraine's presidential election on 25 May is a step "in the right direction".


But he said the vote would decide nothing unless the rights of "all citizens" were protected.

Ukraine's PM described as "hot air" Mr Putin's call for an independence referendum, planned this weekend by separatists in the east, to be delayed.

Mr Putin also said that Russia had pulled back its troops from the border, as tension remains high.

Moscow has said it will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev.

Kiev has rejected pro-Russian activists' demands for greater autonomy, fearing it could lead to the break-up of the country, and has sent in troops in recent weeks to seize back official buildings occupied by rebels.

Mr Putin suggested that Kiev's military operation in eastern Ukraine could be halted in exchange for a postponement of the referendum scheduled to take place in several areas on Sunday.

But Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Mr Putin of "talking through his hat".

Earlier on Wednesday, pro-Russian separatists took back the city hall in the southern port of Mariupol after it was briefly taken over by Ukrainian government forces.