“Our city has been Russian and will remain such albeit within Ukraine. We are ready to live in a single country but on our terms,” one of the activists, leader of Civic Platform movement Yury Apukhtin announced from a stage, as cited by Itar-Tass.

After the so-called “popular assembly”, the crowd of demonstrators – chanting pro-Russian slogans and carrying a huge 100-meter long tricolor – proceeded to Russia’s consulate general where they handed over a letter addressed to President Vladimir Putin.