Ukraine to close state offices, bank services in rebel-held east

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko delivers a speech during a ceremony to hand over armoured vehicles KrAZ Cougar to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE), which will be used for monitoring the situation in eastern regions of Ukraine, near the Defence Ministry headquarters in Kiev November 13, 2014. REUTERS/Mikhail Palinchak/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko issued several decrees on Saturday to shut state institutions and banking services in pro-Russian eastern regions, pressing a move to cut links with the rebel-held territory.

Ukraine has cut all state funding to separatist parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions after separatists held elections in late October which Poroshenko condemned as illegal and in violation of a ceasefire agreement made in September.