in the campaign “Election Interference and Countering the "Orange Revolution" (2004)”
The instigation of the threat of splitting the country in response to the protests: at the congress in Sievierodonetsk on November 28, 2004, Regions faction leader R. Bohatyriova gave a direct promise of a separatist referendum - "we will not go to it with you, we will hold a referendum on the creation of a South-Eastern state (ovation, applause)"[1]. The presence of Russian officials lent this Moscow's sanction: the mayor of Moscow Yu. Luzhkov reminded the hall from the rostrum that "our President of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was the first to congratulate Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych on his victory"[1].