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Gunmen seize Ukraine police station in Sloviansk | Gunmen seize Ukraine police station in Sloviansk |
(35 minutes later) | |
Armed men dressed in camouflage clothing have seized a police station in eastern Ukraine, officials say. | Armed men dressed in camouflage clothing have seized a police station in eastern Ukraine, officials say. |
Police said the gang fired shots and used stun grenades to seize the offices in Sloviansk, near the Russian border. | Police said the gang fired shots and used stun grenades to seize the offices in Sloviansk, near the Russian border. |
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov called the gunmen "terrorists" and said special forces would repel the attack. | Interior Minister Arsen Avakov called the gunmen "terrorists" and said special forces would repel the attack. |
Pro-Russian protesters have taken over government buildings throughout eastern Ukraine. Kiev says the unrest is being orchestrated from Moscow. | Pro-Russian protesters have taken over government buildings throughout eastern Ukraine. Kiev says the unrest is being orchestrated from Moscow. |
Protesters in the eastern city of Donetsk, 130km (80 miles) from Sloviansk, have been occupying government buildings for days and demanding a referendum on becoming part of Russia. | Protesters in the eastern city of Donetsk, 130km (80 miles) from Sloviansk, have been occupying government buildings for days and demanding a referendum on becoming part of Russia. |
A similar move prompted a Russian takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region earlier this year. | A similar move prompted a Russian takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region earlier this year. |
The US and EU have put sanctions on Russian and Crimean people they say were connected with the takeover. | The US and EU have put sanctions on Russian and Crimean people they say were connected with the takeover. |
Russia has denied responsibility for the protests in eastern Ukraine, but Western nations have expressed concern over a build-up of Russian troops along the border. | Russia has denied responsibility for the protests in eastern Ukraine, but Western nations have expressed concern over a build-up of Russian troops along the border. |
Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk visited Donetsk on Friday and attempted to placate anti-government groups by guaranteeing that no restrictions would be put on the use of the Russian language. | Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk visited Donetsk on Friday and attempted to placate anti-government groups by guaranteeing that no restrictions would be put on the use of the Russian language. |
The Kiev government had set a deadline of Friday for all occupations to end, but trouble continued in several cities in the east. | |
Regional police spokesman Ihor Dyomin described how armed men were bussed to the police station in Sloviansk. | Regional police spokesman Ihor Dyomin described how armed men were bussed to the police station in Sloviansk. |
"Six or seven unknown persons got out. They fired several shots in the air and attempted to storm the police department," he said. | "Six or seven unknown persons got out. They fired several shots in the air and attempted to storm the police department," he said. |
He added that "people in camouflage uniform" and with weapons" were inside the building. | He added that "people in camouflage uniform" and with weapons" were inside the building. |
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov promised to deal with the attackers. | Interior Minister Arsen Avakov promised to deal with the attackers. |
"The response will be very tough because there is a difference between protesters and terrorists," he said in Ukrainian on his Facebook page. | "The response will be very tough because there is a difference between protesters and terrorists," he said in Ukrainian on his Facebook page. |
In Donetsk, pro-Russian groups continued to occupy the local government building. | |
Alexander Gnezdilov, the protesters' unofficial spokesperson, told the BBC the group that seized Sloviansk police HQ was "an independent group who are supporting the Donetsk protest". | |
Are you on Sloviansk? Or elsewhere in eastern Ukraine? If you are happy to speak to the BBC please email your stories to HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk with the word 'Ukraine' in the subject. |