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| 'Casualties' in Ukraine gun battles | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A Ukrainian officer has been killed in a gun battle with pro-Russian armed men in the eastern city of Sloviansk, the interior minister says. | A Ukrainian officer has been killed in a gun battle with pro-Russian armed men in the eastern city of Sloviansk, the interior minister says. |
| Both sides suffered a number of casualties, Arsen Avakov said. | Both sides suffered a number of casualties, Arsen Avakov said. |
| Pro-Russian forces took over Sloviansk on Saturday and have targeted at least four other cities, prompting Kiev to launch an "anti-terror operation". | Pro-Russian forces took over Sloviansk on Saturday and have targeted at least four other cities, prompting Kiev to launch an "anti-terror operation". |
| Kiev and Western powers accuse Moscow of inciting the trouble. The Kremlin denies the charge. | Kiev and Western powers accuse Moscow of inciting the trouble. The Kremlin denies the charge. |
| US officials said on Saturday there had been a "concerted campaign" by forces with Russian support to undermine the authorities in Kiev. | US officials said on Saturday there had been a "concerted campaign" by forces with Russian support to undermine the authorities in Kiev. |
| Secretary of State John Kerry warned of "additional consequences" if Russia failed to make efforts to "de-escalate" and pull its troops back from Ukraine's border. | Secretary of State John Kerry warned of "additional consequences" if Russia failed to make efforts to "de-escalate" and pull its troops back from Ukraine's border. |
| But Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kiev government was "demonstrating its inability to take responsibility for the fate of the country". | But Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kiev government was "demonstrating its inability to take responsibility for the fate of the country". |
| He had warned earlier that any use of force in eastern Ukraine could scupper crisis talks due later this week. | He had warned earlier that any use of force in eastern Ukraine could scupper crisis talks due later this week. |
| Meanwhile a Nato source told the BBC they believe that "Russian forces have been involved in the seizure of some of the buildings." | |
| And the organisation's chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said on Sunday it was a "grave development" that men had reappeared "with specialised Russian weapons and identical uniforms without insignia, as previously worn by Russian troops during Russia's illegal and illegitimate seizure of Crimea". | |
| 'Shooting to kill' | 'Shooting to kill' |
| On Saturday, armed men took over police stations and official buildings in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka. | On Saturday, armed men took over police stations and official buildings in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka. |
| Unconfirmed reports suggested official buildings had also been taken over in two other cities - Mariupol and Yenakievo. | Unconfirmed reports suggested official buildings had also been taken over in two other cities - Mariupol and Yenakievo. |
| Similar accounts emerged from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk on Saturday of armed men dressed in camouflage arriving in buses and storming the police stations. | Similar accounts emerged from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk on Saturday of armed men dressed in camouflage arriving in buses and storming the police stations. |
| Pro-Russian demonstrators also continued their occupation of the main administrative building in the regional capital Donetsk, which they have held for one week. | Pro-Russian demonstrators also continued their occupation of the main administrative building in the regional capital Donetsk, which they have held for one week. |
| A protest leader told the BBC that the activists in Sloviansk took action to support the Donetsk sit-in. | A protest leader told the BBC that the activists in Sloviansk took action to support the Donetsk sit-in. |
| BBC reporters in Sloviansk said the gunmen were well-organised and quickly established control throughout the town. | BBC reporters in Sloviansk said the gunmen were well-organised and quickly established control throughout the town. |
| Checkpoints had been set up on the main roads into the town. | Checkpoints had been set up on the main roads into the town. |
| Mr Avakov labelled the actions a "display of aggression by Russia". | Mr Avakov labelled the actions a "display of aggression by Russia". |
| Announcing the operation to clear the activists, he warned people to stay in their homes in Sloviansk. | Announcing the operation to clear the activists, he warned people to stay in their homes in Sloviansk. |
| "The separatists are shooting to kill without warning against the approaching special forces," he said, | "The separatists are shooting to kill without warning against the approaching special forces," he said, |
| He later said Ukrainian forces had been attacked at a checkpoint on the way to Sloviansk, and at least one officer had been killed and five others wounded. | He later said Ukrainian forces had been attacked at a checkpoint on the way to Sloviansk, and at least one officer had been killed and five others wounded. |
| An unknown number of militants were also wounded, he said. | An unknown number of militants were also wounded, he said. |
| Witnesses at the police station say there is not yet any sign of clashes, and the centre of the town is quiet. | Witnesses at the police station say there is not yet any sign of clashes, and the centre of the town is quiet. |
| Eastern Ukraine has a large Russian-speaking population and has seen a series of protests since the ousting of Ukraine's 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 Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February. |
| Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Ukraine". | Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Ukraine". |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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