(Transcript from World News Radio)
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine say they will hold independence referendums despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's calls to postpone them.
In the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, activists say they'll push ahead with the votes this weekend.
Bill Code reports.
The day before annual World War Two victory commemorations, Russia's president Vladimir Putin was overseeing test launches of military rockets.
By his side, the leaders of other former Soviet states, from Armenia to Belarus.
The West has seen Russia's hand behind the unrest in the east of Ukraine in recent months.
But Mr Putin's calls to put off seperate rebel-proposed referendums on independence from Ukraine have been flatly rejected by anti-Kiev militants there.
Nikola Nikitin, speaking on behalf of separatist group the Army of the South East said the vote would go ahead in Luhansk, because that was what the people wanted.
"The Luhansk council announced that the decision from May 5 to hold a referendum on May 11 will remain unchanged with one question, whether you support the act of state independence of Luhansk People's Republic."
Reports suggest many opponents of the anti-Kiev camp are now too terrified to speak out.
But amongst Russian-speaking rebel groups and their supporters, massed outside occupied government buildings, there are fears that if the vote is not held this weekend trust, and momentum, could be lost.
"I want it to take place on May 11th, not to be postponed by another three days, because in that time anything can be provoked."
More than 50 people are thought to have died in violence in the east and southeast of the country in recent weeks.
There was more unrest as the Ukrainian military took back a government building in the town of Mariupol - sixteen pro-Russian activists remain in custody.
Moscow's relations with the West have slumped dramatically since February's revolution saw a pro-Western government installed in Kiev.
That kicked off a chain of events which saw a Russian annexation of Crimea, and the east of the country teetering on the brink of civil war
Russia's call this week to postpone the referendums and the announcement that it would pull 40,000 troops back from its border with Ukraine sparked hopes for a de-escalation.
But NATO's head Anders Fogh Rasmussen has played down such prospects
"While we have noted the Russian statement that they have started to withdraw troops, so far we haven't seen any, any indications that they are pulling back their troops. There would be no hesitation from my side to welcome it if we really see a real withdrawal of troops, because that's what we have continued to urge the Russians to do, to de-escalate the situation, pull back their troops, live up to their international obligations.
For now all eyes are on the weekend polling.
The rebels only control only sections of the regions where the referendums have been promised.
How they will hold elections, worthy of the name, is the big question.
Whatever the results, an end to the tension seems a distant prospect.
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