Live Blog: Ukraine In Crisis (Archive)

Pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk have put forward their first demands -- hold a referendum on the Luhansk region's secession from Ukraine, organize a meeting with the regional governor, amnesty all law-enforcement officers involved in the crackdown on Maidan protests.

Huge different to being here and on Maidan - there they thought all journos for them, here they think all journos are against them. #Donetsk

— GrahamWPhillips (@GrahamWP_UK) April 8, 2014

WATCH: NATO's Rasmussen Warns Russia Against 'Historic Mistake' In Ukraine

"Donbas is Ukraine." Ukraine's richest man, Donbas native Rinat Akhmetov, recounts his expletive-laden talks with pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk. Akhmetov, whom some accuse of funding the separatism movement in Ukraine's eastern region, has acted as an intermediary between Donetsk separatists and authorities in Kyiv.

Ukraine's parliament has passed a bill increasing the punishment for high treason and crimes against the country's territorial integrity. Under the bill, separatist activities can be punished by jail terms between 10 and 15 years or life in prison.

OSCE representative (.@OSCE_RFoM) deeply concerned about deteriorating media freedom situation in eastern Ukraine http://t.co/vKUUrC0xCp

— OSCE (@OSCE) April 8, 2014

Our Russian Service correspondent Yelena Fainalova has this colorful photogallery of rival pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian rallies in the streets of Kharkiv.

Корреспондент Радио Свобода Елена Фанайлова фотографировала участников Майдана и Антимайдана в центре Харькова http://t.co/WkqsdPSR44

— Радио Свобода (@SvobodaRadio) April 8, 2014

One third of Kharkiv's police force will be fired for sabotage, says Ukraine's acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.

Третина особового складу харківської міліції буде звільнено за саботаж – Аваков http://t.co/7XR5wsB7fV

— Радіо Свобода (@radiosvoboda) April 8, 2014

Serhiy Pashinskiy, the acting head of Ukraine's presidential administration, says separatism and terrorism are now punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

Сергій Пашинський: "Покарання за сепаратизм та тероризм підняте до 15 років позбавлення волі" Відповідний закон... http://t.co/Wf0ILaQJGW

— МВС України (@MVS_UA) April 8, 2014

Miners in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region don't support pro-Russian separatists. The head of the local miners' trade union says separatist activists have tried -- and failed -- to recruit miners and persuade them to strike.