Batkivschyna Party leader and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko has said that residents of Donetsk and Luhansk do not support the actions of pro-Russian activists who seize administrative buildings and proclaim the independence of regions.

"Aggressive terrorist groups are operating there, and they are not supported by civilians. People there are categorically against the war, people are afraid of the war and do not want to participate in these actions," she said on the Freedom of Speech program on the ICTV television channel on Monday evening.

She said that she visited Donetsk and Luhansk on Monday and managed to personally assess the situation and communicate with people.

"Those who seize buildings include a group of people who are not hiding, but confess that they are authorized representatives of the special services of Russian Federation. They can present a certificate and give their names. There is also a group of people hired for money, as well as a group of former servicemen," she added.

In her opinion, in order to resolve the situation in the east of the country it is necessary to urgently adopt amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine and enable people in the regions to elect local authorities, as well as to consider a new Budget Code in the next few days.