KHARKIV, Ukraine, Nov 29 (AFP) - Nearly 30,000 Ukrainian supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko took to the streets Monday in the eastern town of Kharkiv to demonstrate against calls for their region to splinter off.
Demonstrators gathered in the town center under orange opposition flags and holding banners with slogans saying "For peace and unity in Ukraine" and "No to separatism."
In the last two days authorities in several eastern and southern regions have threatened to seek greater autonomy from Kiev if Yushchenko is eventually handed victory following a disputed presidential election.
Ukraine's east and south largely backed the pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, the official winner of the polls, which were marred by massive allegations of fraud.
The eastern Donetsk region announced Monday that it planned to hold a referendum on establishing greater autonomy as early as next Sunday.
Ukraine's outgoing president Leonid Kuchma declared Monday that any partition of the country was "unacceptable" and Ukraine's defense minister said armed forces would uphold the country's unity.
11/29/2004 17:06 GMT - AFP