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Ukraine crisis: Mariupol city hall 'liberated' | Ukraine crisis: Mariupol city hall 'liberated' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Ukrainian government says it has regained control of the city hall in the eastern port of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists. | The Ukrainian government says it has regained control of the city hall in the eastern port of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists. |
Several people are said to have been hurt during the overnight operation in the city, where three pro-Russian protesters were recently shot dead. | |
Administrative buildings have been taken over by separatists in at least a dozen towns in eastern Ukraine. | |
Talks are reportedly taking place in Mariupol between the two sides. | |
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has accused Russia of flouting a deal on Ukraine reached in Geneva last week, under which illegal armed groups, including those who have seized public buildings, would return home. | |
Mr Obama told a news conference in Japan that Moscow had failed to halt actions by militants in the region and warned that the US had further sanctions against Russia "teed up". | Mr Obama told a news conference in Japan that Moscow had failed to halt actions by militants in the region and warned that the US had further sanctions against Russia "teed up". |
A contingent of US troops has begun landing in Poland for military exercises amid concerns among Nato's eastern members about Russian intentions. | A contingent of US troops has begun landing in Poland for military exercises amid concerns among Nato's eastern members about Russian intentions. |
Moscow has said it will respond to any attack on its interests in Ukraine. | Moscow has said it will respond to any attack on its interests in Ukraine. |
Unrest began in Ukraine last November over whether the country should look towards Moscow or the West. | Unrest began in Ukraine last November over whether the country should look towards Moscow or the West. |
Baseball bats | |
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced on Thursday that the city hall in Mariupol, a port on the Sea of Azov in the Donetsk region, had been "liberated" overnight without any casualties. | |
"Civic activists" played a major part in the operation, he said. | "Civic activists" played a major part in the operation, he said. |
According to the local news website 0629, a group of about 30 unidentified men in their twenties armed with baseball bats stormed the mayor's office between 03:00 (01:00 GMT) and 04:00 on Thursday. | |
The protesters called the police who reportedly came out and calmed down the opposing sides. | |
Negotiations are under way at the scene between the separatists, the local pro-Ukrainian authorities and the police, the site says. | |
While the interior minister said nobody had been hurt in the operation, 0629 reported that five men were injured, though not seriously. | |
Mr Avakov also said that Ukrainian troops in Artemivsk, another town in the Donetsk region, had fended off an attempt by dozens of pro-Russian militants to seize weapons from a military unit. One soldier was wounded, he said. | |
Unverified footage of military helicopters, said to be flying over Artemivsk, was posted by a blogger on YouTube. | Unverified footage of military helicopters, said to be flying over Artemivsk, was posted by a blogger on YouTube. |
A local journalist, Anna Bokovaya, told Russian TV that about 50 people had taken part in the attack on the military unit, which lasted 45 minutes. | |
The militants began the attack after the soldiers inside rejected a demand to surrender, she said. The town was calm again on Thursday morning, she added. | |
Three pro-Russian protesters were killed when Ukrainian security forces fought off a raid on a base in Mariupol on 17 April. | |
Are you in Mariupol? How has the unrest affected you? You can email us your experiences at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Ukraine'. | Are you in Mariupol? How has the unrest affected you? You can email us your experiences at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk, using the subject line 'Ukraine'. |