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Ukraine crisis: Odessa detainees freed as police HQ attacked | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Pro-Russian activists have attacked the police headquarters in Ukraine's southern city of Odessa, forcing the release of several people held over deadly violence on Friday. | |
The clashes led to more than 40 deaths. Most of the victims were pro-Russian separatists killed when the building they were barricaded in caught fire. | |
Ukraine's interim PM has accused police of failing to prevent the violence. | Ukraine's interim PM has accused police of failing to prevent the violence. |
Hundreds of pro-Russian activists descended on the police HQ on Sunday. | |
The initially peaceful rally turned violent as protesters - some wearing masks and carrying improvised weapons - broke windows and forced the gates. | |
A number of those detained were then released by the police, apparently in an attempt to pacify the crowds. There were chants of "Russia, Russia". | |
The Daily Telegraph's Roland Oliphant, at the scene, said Ukrainian flags had been pulled down and replaced with the Odessa city flag as tempers flared. Protesters used a lorry to force their way into the police compound. | |
"I think the police chief felt discretion being the better part of valour and agreed to release the prisoners," he said. | |
People in Odessa have been visiting the burned out trade union building over the weekend to pay tribute to those who died there on Friday. | |
Fire broke out on the third floor, leaving people trapped in the building. While some were rescued, 38 people either burned, suffocated or jumped to their deaths. | |
Interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has travelled to Odessa, has ordered a full investigation into what happened, saying the authorities did "nothing to stop this crackdown", and were "inefficient and they violated the law". | |
He told a news conference that all the senior police in the city had been fired and would be replaced. | |
But he said the unrest was "part of a plan fomented by Russia to destroy Ukraine". | But he said the unrest was "part of a plan fomented by Russia to destroy Ukraine". |
"Russia's aim was to repeat in Odessa what is happening in the east of the country," where pro-Russian forces have taken control of government buildings in a number of towns, he said. | |
Mr Yatsenyuk insisted Kiev had not lost control entirely, saying much would depend on whether local populations "support peace and stability or whether they support those who are sponsored by Russian". | |
Are you in Odessa? Have you seen the attacks? What are your views on the current situation? Email your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk putting the word 'Ukraine' in the subject heading. | |