Those in Donetsk went further and declared themselves an autonomous republic and began planning for a referendum to leave Ukraine and join Russia.
Ukrainian troops arrested those taking part in an attack on government buildings, in Kharkiv.
The Ukrainian government and western governments accuse Russia of conspiring to create the unease and rebellions as an excuse for Russia to invade.
They currently have forty to fifty thousand troops on the border with Ukraine.
Those occupying Donetsk's and Lugansk's government buildings have called upon those troops to enter Ukraine and protect them.
Russia used similar circumstances to cover and then excuse their take over of Crimea, which has been declared illegal by much of the world.
However, no one is willing to do more than impose light sanctions upon Russia, as punishment for their actions.
