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Ukraine crisis: 'Another police building seized in east' Ukraine crisis: 'Another police building seized in east'
(about 1 hour later)
Pro-Russia militants have taken over a police headquarters in the eastern Ukraine city of Kramatorsk, local media and witnesses say.Pro-Russia militants have taken over a police headquarters in the eastern Ukraine city of Kramatorsk, local media and witnesses say.
This followed a gun battle with the police defending the building as the attackers stormed it.This followed a gun battle with the police defending the building as the attackers stormed it.
Several other official buildings were reported to have been seized in eastern Ukraine on Saturday. Several other official buildings were reported to have been seized in Donetsk region on Saturday.
The confrontations come amid rising tension between the new government and pro-Russia protesters.The confrontations come amid rising tension between the new government and pro-Russia protesters.
Earlier, gunmen occupied a police station and a security services building in the town of Sloviansk. Official buildings in Druzhkovka were also reported to have been taken over.
A Donetsk regional police chief also quit after pro-Russia crowds marched on a police station demanding his resignation.
Eastern Ukraine has a large Russian-speaking population and has seen a series of protests since the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February.Eastern Ukraine has a large Russian-speaking population and has seen a series of protests since the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February.
The new government in Kiev accuses Moscow of orchestrating the unrest in eastern Ukraine. But Russia denies responsibility.The new government in Kiev accuses Moscow of orchestrating the unrest in eastern Ukraine. But Russia denies responsibility.
Repelled Amid mounting concern about the situation, US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Protesters in largely Russian-speaking Donetsk, 130km (80 miles) from Sloviansk, have been occupying government buildings for days and demanding a referendum on becoming part of Russia. Mr Lavrov said Ukraine was "demonstrating its inability to take responsibility for the fate of the country".
Trouble continued in several towns and cities on Saturday despite the Kiev government setting a deadline of Friday for all occupations to end. He warned that any use of force against Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine would undermine the "potential for co-operation", which included talks in Geneva next week.
"Kramatorsk. An attack is under way. Unknown persons fired shots at the district police department. The police are firing shots in response. A shootout is under way," acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his Facebook page late on Saturday. It has also been announced that US Vice President Joe Biden is to travel to Ukraine in 10 days' time.,
Flag raised
A Kramatorsk-based website said the attackers arrived in the city in two buses at around 1900 local (1600GMT) on Saturday and seized the police department after an exchange of fire lasting several minutes.
There had been no casualties and the flag of the Donetsk Republic had been raised at the building, the Voctochnyy Proyek site said.
The attackers, toting assault rifles and wearing camouflage and masks, introduced themselves as fighters of the "people's militia" and addressed residents, the report said.
"We are not Ukrainian troops, we are people's militia. We are the people who have risen up to drive away the corrupt Kiev police," the attackers said.
Video clips running on Ukraine's Hromadske TV appear to show scenes at dusk outside the police building at Kramatorsk, with people gathered on nearby streets watching.Video clips running on Ukraine's Hromadske TV appear to show scenes at dusk outside the police building at Kramatorsk, with people gathered on nearby streets watching.
At one point in the unverified video clips, loud and prolonged firing can be heard.At one point in the unverified video clips, loud and prolonged firing can be heard.
A local media account of the shooting said there had been no injuries, and that the flag of the Donetsk Republic had been raised at the building after the gunmen seized it. Earlier, the acting Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, had written on his Facebook page that an attack involving shooting was under way in Kramatorsk.
The attackers, toting assault rifles and wearing camouflage and masks, introduced themselves as fighters of the "people's militia" and addressed residents, the report in Vostochnyy Proyek website said. Trouble continued in several towns and cities on Saturday despite the Kiev government setting a deadline of Friday for all occupations to end. In other incidents:
"We are not Ukrainian troops, we are people's militia. We are the people who have risen up to drive away the corrupt Kiev police," the attackers said. 'Tough response'
Mr Avakov also reported that an attack on police buildings in Krasny Liman late in the day had been repelled. The gunmen there had been equipped with Russian-made Kalashnikov assault rifles, he added. In the attack in the town of Sloviansk, dozens of unidentified armed men in camouflage uniform seized the police station and security service premises.
Earlier, in the town of Sloviansk, dozens of unidentified armed men in camouflage uniform seized the police station and security service premises.
The aim of the attack at the police station - according to the Interior Ministry - was to seize arms as some 40 automatic rifles and 400 pistols were stored there along with ammunition.The aim of the attack at the police station - according to the Interior Ministry - was to seize arms as some 40 automatic rifles and 400 pistols were stored there along with ammunition.
But a member of the group involved in the Sloviansk seizure said they wanted to fight people who represented the illegal authorities of interim President Oleksandr Turchynov, according to a video posted on Youtube. But a member of the group involved in the Sloviansk seizure said they wanted to fight people who represented the "illegal authorities" of interim President Oleksandr Turchynov, according to a video posted on Youtube.
Interviewed in Russian, the man said they represented the People's Front of Donbass - the industrial Donets Basin region in eastern Ukraine.Interviewed in Russian, the man said they represented the People's Front of Donbass - the industrial Donets Basin region in eastern Ukraine.
He said those involved were peaceful Donbass residents and "not fascists".He said those involved were peaceful Donbass residents and "not fascists".
The acting interior minister has promised a "very tough" response.The acting interior minister has promised a "very tough" response.
In the regional centre Donetsk, police chief Kostyantyn Pozhydayev stood down after pressure from pro-Russia protesters.
"Protesters came to me. So as to prevent bloodshed, I decided to tender my resignation to the [interior] minister," he said in remarks broadcast by Ukrainian TV channel 5 Kanal.
The same channel also showed his deputy, Andriy Anosov - captioned as police chief - inviting pro-Russia protesters to work together with the police to prevent violence and looting.