DONETSK, April 16 (RIA Novosti) – Pro-federalization protesters armed with weapons have entered the Donetsk city council, the council members told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
“People in balaclavas with rifles are moving around the building. They haven’t been entering private offices so far. They are moving along the corridors. We were told not to leave our cubicles and continue to work," an interviewee said.
Eastern Ukraine has been swept by rallies beginning last month. Federalization supporters in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slaviansk and Kramatorsk refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and are urging interim authorities to hold referendums similar to the one held in Crimea last month, which led to the republic's reunification with Russia.
Russia condemned the decision by the new Ukrainian authorities to use force against federalization supporters, saying it was an extremely unpleasant turn of events.
