Officials in eastern Ukrainian say they could schedule a regional referendum on autonomy if "political developments in Ukraine take the worst critical course."
The 3,500 local leaders from 17 regions meeting in Severodonetsk Sunday passed a resolution threatening such a vote. The move came shortly after their candidate, Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, told them the dispute over the November 21 presidential election has pushed the country to, in his words, "the brink of catastrophe."
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Mr. Yanukovych had urged them to refrain from radical measures that could lead to bloodshed.
In Kiev Sunday, the prime minister's opponent, Viktor Yushchenko, told a rally that persons raising the issue of secession should be criminally prosecuted for constitutional violations.
The Ukraine Security and Defense Council also condemned demands for eastern autonomy after meeting with President Leonid Kuchma.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.