Ukraine to continue operation in east

Ukraine will continue with the military operation in its eastern region regardless of pro-Russian protestors postponing their planned independence referendum May 11, a Ukrainian security official said Thursday.

"The anti-terror operation will continue regardless of any decisions of one or another subversive and terrorist group," Security and Defence Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy said.

Parubiy described the upcoming referendum on secession in eastern Ukraine as a "political fraud" and said that the vote "has no future", Xinhua reported.

Parubiy voiced his hope that the military operation to retake the cities and towns seized by pro-Russian activists in the country's crisis-hit regions will end "on a high note".

In early April, the protestors announced the creation of sovereign People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and announced a referendum for May 11 to validate the decision.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday appealed to the activists to postpone Sunday's vote and the demonstrators said they would consider Putin's request.

The Ukrainian government launched its military operation against the separatists April 13.