The leadership of the self-proclaimed eastern Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) on Tuesday voiced intent to nationalize all Ukrainian state property within the borders of the region.

"Due to the unwillingness of regional oligarchs to pay taxes to the budget of the DNR, we decided to begin the process of nationalization," Denis Pushilin, head of the republic, said on his Twitter account.

Paying taxes to the Ukrainian budget means "funding terror" in Donetsk, Pushilin said.

Pushilin's statement came shortly after influential industrial magnate Rinat Akhmetov, who is the owner of factories across Donetsk region, urged the workers of his enterprises to peacefully protests against activists who demand autonomy from the central government.

Akhmetov, previously considered as a person behind the creation of the DNR, described the activists as men "who stood against people of Donetsk region," signaling readiness to cooperate with Kiev.

Armed activists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions established the "people's republic" in early April and held referendums on their future status on May 11.

Organizers of the referendums said an overwhelming majority of the voters favored their regions' independence.