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| Ukraine-Russia crisis: Armed men seize police building in Slaviansk | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Armed men have seized a police department in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk, in the latest takeover of a public building by suspected Pro-Russian protesters. | Armed men have seized a police department in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slaviansk, in the latest takeover of a public building by suspected Pro-Russian protesters. |
| “Armed men in camouflage uniforms seized the police department in Slaviansk. The response will be very tough because there is a difference between protesters and terrorists,” Interior Minister Avakov wrote on his Facebook. | “Armed men in camouflage uniforms seized the police department in Slaviansk. The response will be very tough because there is a difference between protesters and terrorists,” Interior Minister Avakov wrote on his Facebook. |
| The men had not made any demands, and did not give their identity, according to a local police spokesman from the city in Ukraine's Donetsk region, about 150 km from the border with Russia. | The men had not made any demands, and did not give their identity, according to a local police spokesman from the city in Ukraine's Donetsk region, about 150 km from the border with Russia. |
| Government buildings in the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk have also been occupied by pro-Russian protesters who want their regions to split from Kiev. | Government buildings in the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk have also been occupied by pro-Russian protesters who want their regions to split from Kiev. |
| On Friday, a deadline set by the Kiev authorities for the protesters to end their occupation expired, but there was no sign of action from the Ukrainian police to force them out. | On Friday, a deadline set by the Kiev authorities for the protesters to end their occupation expired, but there was no sign of action from the Ukrainian police to force them out. |
| But Avakov maintained the threat in his Facebook post, warning:“I will say it again: those who want dialogue...will have dialogue and the search for solutions. Those who are up in arms, set fire to buildings, shoot at people, police, terrorize with bats and masks, these people will face an appropriate response.” | But Avakov maintained the threat in his Facebook post, warning:“I will say it again: those who want dialogue...will have dialogue and the search for solutions. Those who are up in arms, set fire to buildings, shoot at people, police, terrorize with bats and masks, these people will face an appropriate response.” |
| The seizure in Slaviansk comes a day after Ukraine’s Prime Minister visited the country’s south eastern region, and pledged to give areas more power to defend the rights of Russian speakers. | The seizure in Slaviansk comes a day after Ukraine’s Prime Minister visited the country’s south eastern region, and pledged to give areas more power to defend the rights of Russian speakers. |
| Arseniy Yatsenyuk met with regional officials who once opposed his new government in Kiev, but not with protesters occupying government buildings in the cities of Donetsk or Luhansk. | Arseniy Yatsenyuk met with regional officials who once opposed his new government in Kiev, but not with protesters occupying government buildings in the cities of Donetsk or Luhansk. |
| Ukraine's prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (center) speaks during his meeting with regional leaders in Donetsk, Ukraine Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland was the support base for Kremlin-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after months of protests. | Ukraine's prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (center) speaks during his meeting with regional leaders in Donetsk, Ukraine Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland was the support base for Kremlin-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in February after months of protests. |
| Last month, the Crimea region voted to secede and was annexed by Russia — but only after Russia took over the peninsula by force. | Last month, the Crimea region voted to secede and was annexed by Russia — but only after Russia took over the peninsula by force. |
| Additional reporting by Reuters and AP | Additional reporting by Reuters and AP |