Pro-Russian separatists reject diplomatic deal to leave buildings

Pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine on Friday rejected a deal reached a day earlier in an effort to end the violence there, The Associated Press reports. 

Militants have largely taken over the city of Donetsk, and its temporary leader, Denis Pushilin, told reporters that they won’t leave until the interim government in Kiev resigns. 

Pushilin’s name was also reportedly on fliers distributed to the city’s Jews, ordering them to register their real estate properties and belongings or risk their citizenship. 

{mosads}Reports say Pushilin denied he and his government had anything to do with the leaflets, which were written in Russian. 

On Thursday, Ukraine and Russia agreed to a framework deal meant to bring an end to the crisis between them. 

Under the deal, the Ukrainian government offered to provide amnesty to all pro-Russian separatists who give up their weapons, except for those who have committed crimes. 

Pushilin said the agreement requires the militants to leave illegally seized buildings, but he claimed the government in Kiev is also occupying government buildings illegally. He repeated his call on Friday for a referendum to be held to allow the “self-determination of the people” as they did in Crimea last month.