77 percent of Ukrainians oppose secession

A huge majority of Ukrainians oppose splintering the country despite the ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine, according to a new Pew poll. Seventy-seven percent say Ukraine should remain fully unified, while only 14 percent support allowing regions to secede.

By smaller, though still overwhelming, margins, Ukrainians in the east also oppose secession (70 percent to 18 percent) as do Russian-speaking residents (58 percent to 27 percent.)

The findings come as the self-appointed "Donetsk People's Republic" has insisted it will still hold a secession referendum on May 11. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the referendum to be postponed, and said he was withdrawing Russian troops from the border between the two nations to ease tension in the region.

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