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| At Funeral, Expressions of Grief and Anger Toward Kiev Officials | At Funeral, Expressions of Grief and Anger Toward Kiev Officials |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Hundreds of residents of this eastern Ukrainian city under the control of pro-Russian militants came to the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit on Tuesday for the funerals of three men killed in a shootout at a roadblock on Sunday. | SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Hundreds of residents of this eastern Ukrainian city under the control of pro-Russian militants came to the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit on Tuesday for the funerals of three men killed in a shootout at a roadblock on Sunday. |
| Many used the service to vent their anger at the interim government in Kiev, the capital, which they hold responsible for the deaths of the men. Mourners also accused the leadership of endorsing a violent campaign of terror to subdue eastern Ukraine. | Many used the service to vent their anger at the interim government in Kiev, the capital, which they hold responsible for the deaths of the men. Mourners also accused the leadership of endorsing a violent campaign of terror to subdue eastern Ukraine. |
| As church bells rang, the grieving cried, “Glory to the heroes of Donbass,” a reference to the region. The bodies of the men, who were identified as local residents, were carried in open, tulip-draped coffins down the steps of the church and toward buses with signs reading, “Slovyansk Remembers Its Heroes.” | As church bells rang, the grieving cried, “Glory to the heroes of Donbass,” a reference to the region. The bodies of the men, who were identified as local residents, were carried in open, tulip-draped coffins down the steps of the church and toward buses with signs reading, “Slovyansk Remembers Its Heroes.” |
| Pro-Russian forces contend that the three men were killed by members of the Ukrainian nationalist group Right Sector, which helped to overthrow the government in February. Kiev, in turn, attributed the violence to provocateurs who wanted to further embitter people in the eastern part of the country against the interim government. | Pro-Russian forces contend that the three men were killed by members of the Ukrainian nationalist group Right Sector, which helped to overthrow the government in February. Kiev, in turn, attributed the violence to provocateurs who wanted to further embitter people in the eastern part of the country against the interim government. |
| Despite an agreement reached last week by the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union that calls for armed pro-Russian militants to disarm and vacate government buildings in the east, there have been few signs that anti-Kiev forces are relinquishing control. | Despite an agreement reached last week by the United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union that calls for armed pro-Russian militants to disarm and vacate government buildings in the east, there have been few signs that anti-Kiev forces are relinquishing control. |
| A delegation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Monday that all of Slovyansk was “under the control of armed groups” and that the shooting on Sunday was “a worrying deterioration of the situation.” | A delegation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Monday that all of Slovyansk was “under the control of armed groups” and that the shooting on Sunday was “a worrying deterioration of the situation.” |
| Inside the church, men wearing military camouflage and face masks and carrying automatic rifles sidled past residents waiting to pay their respects. | Inside the church, men wearing military camouflage and face masks and carrying automatic rifles sidled past residents waiting to pay their respects. |
| Margarita Krymskaya, who runs a small cafe in Slovyansk across the street from the Ukrainian Security Service office, which is occupied by pro-Russian forces, said that she now lived life “behind the barricades,” but that she continued to support anti-Kiev militants. | Margarita Krymskaya, who runs a small cafe in Slovyansk across the street from the Ukrainian Security Service office, which is occupied by pro-Russian forces, said that she now lived life “behind the barricades,” but that she continued to support anti-Kiev militants. |
| Since pro-Russian forces captured the building this month, her cafe has closed and she has been unable to pay her staff. | Since pro-Russian forces captured the building this month, her cafe has closed and she has been unable to pay her staff. |
| “Of course I support the boys!” she said as she stood outside the church. “We bring them whatever food we can. They are standing there for us, protecting us.” | “Of course I support the boys!” she said as she stood outside the church. “We bring them whatever food we can. They are standing there for us, protecting us.” |
| Vyachislav Ponomaryov, a pro-Russian activist and the de facto mayor of Slovyansk, teared up as he spoke about one of the dead men, Pavel Pavlenko, whom he described as a “friend from the barricades.” | Vyachislav Ponomaryov, a pro-Russian activist and the de facto mayor of Slovyansk, teared up as he spoke about one of the dead men, Pavel Pavlenko, whom he described as a “friend from the barricades.” |
| On the city’s central square, posters with images of the three men were taped to a statue of Lenin. The city administration building, which has been captured by Mr. Ponomaryov’s supporters, is barricaded with sandbags and chain-link netting. | On the city’s central square, posters with images of the three men were taped to a statue of Lenin. The city administration building, which has been captured by Mr. Ponomaryov’s supporters, is barricaded with sandbags and chain-link netting. |
| Asked to describe the situation in the city, Mr. Ponomaryov said, “It is calm for now.” | Asked to describe the situation in the city, Mr. Ponomaryov said, “It is calm for now.” |
| There was still confusion over the events of late Saturday evening that led to the deaths of the three men. | There was still confusion over the events of late Saturday evening that led to the deaths of the three men. |
| Anatoly P. Khmelyevoy, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Slovyansk, produced a bullhorn shortly after the funeral service and, standing on the steps of the church, claimed that one of the men had been stabbed to death and not shot by a sniper, as previously reported. | Anatoly P. Khmelyevoy, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Slovyansk, produced a bullhorn shortly after the funeral service and, standing on the steps of the church, claimed that one of the men had been stabbed to death and not shot by a sniper, as previously reported. |
| The claim produced shouts of disagreement from the crowd. | The claim produced shouts of disagreement from the crowd. |
| Another man, dressed in fatigues and wearing a face mask over a pair of eyeglasses, grabbed the bullhorn from Mr. Khmelyevoy. | Another man, dressed in fatigues and wearing a face mask over a pair of eyeglasses, grabbed the bullhorn from Mr. Khmelyevoy. |
| “I was in that battle,” he said. “There were snipers! There was a machine-gunner!” | “I was in that battle,” he said. “There were snipers! There was a machine-gunner!” |
| After the coffins were loaded into buses for transport to a cemetery, the senior priest of the city’s Orthodox Church, who had helped conduct the service, expressed concern that the divisions in the city could be lasting. | After the coffins were loaded into buses for transport to a cemetery, the senior priest of the city’s Orthodox Church, who had helped conduct the service, expressed concern that the divisions in the city could be lasting. |
| “Many people here are trying to drive a wedge into society,” said the priest, Father Nikolai, who uses only one name. “Some are residents of this city. Some are from West Ukraine. Some are representatives of other countries.” | |
| “The kind of animosity that is growing here could last forever,” he said. | “The kind of animosity that is growing here could last forever,” he said. |