Authorities say they are prepared to
use force to clear buildings occupied by pro-Russian separatists in country's
east. Ukrainian authorities have warned they are prepared to use force to clear
several government buildings seized by pro-Russian separatists in the east of
the country.
Wednesday's warning came as
protesters continued to occupy the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service
in the eastern city of Luhansk.
Hundreds of supporters camped outside
and shouting "Putin! Putin!" in support of the Russian President, the
Associated Press news agency reported.
Arsen Avakov, the Ukrainian interior
minister, said the standoff in Luhansk and the two neighbouring Russian-leaning
regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv must be resolved within the next two days.
"I want to repeat that there are
two options: political settlement through negotiations and the use of
force," Avakov told reporters. "We are ready for both options."
Avakov was speaking as
anti-government protesters in Luhansk erected high barricades along a
thoroughfare running in front of the security service premises.
The Security Service had earlier said
that the separatists inside the building, armed with explosives and other
weapons, allowed 56 hostages to leave the building during the night. A
spokeswoman said there were no other hostages.
But Tetyana Pohukay, a regional
police spokeswoman, disputed that statement, saying there had never been any hostages
inside, according to the Interfax news agency.
The Luhansk security services
building was among several government offices seized by pro-Moscow groups on
Sunday in an escalation of protests against the interim government in power
since President Viktor Yanukovich was forced to quit in February after months
of protests against his decision to ditch an EU trade pact in favour of closer
ties with Moscow.
Peaceful solution
Serhiy Tyhipko, a lawmaker associated
with the previous Ukraine government, urged the authorities not to storm the
building in Luhansk, calling for a negotiated peaceful solution.
Tyhipko said the protesters were
demanding to turn Ukraine into a federal state with broad regional autonomy,
not to secede.
"The people are not bringing up
the issue of breaking off from Ukraine and are not calling for the help of foreign
countries,'' Tyhipko said on his Facebook page.
Turning Ukraine into a federation is
Russia's key demand and the new government in Kiev has refused to fulfill it,
calling it a precursor to a break-up.
In Donetsk, where protesters were
still occupying the government building, the regional governor was meeting with
key figures in the pro-Russian protest movement to try to find a solution to
the crisis.
"The ultimatum made put the
pressure on people here in Donetsk," Al Jazeera's Kim Vinnell said,
reporting from the eastern region.
She added that negotiations were
under way between both separitists and police in Donetsk and Luhansk.
"Now, with this ultimatum, it
will be a question of what kind of deal can both sides come to. Both protesters
and police are very keen to avoid any bloodshed," she said.
All the cities affected by the
uprisings are in Ukraine's industrial Russian-speaking heartland in the east,
which has a large population of ethnic Russians and where economic and cultural
ties to Russia are strong, according to AP.
Many residents are suspicious of the
government that took power in February.
Overnight, speakers at a gathering in
front of the building condemned the government in Kiev and renewed demands to
be allowed to hold a referendum on declaring autonomy for their region.
That demand is similar to one that
preceded Crimea's annexation by Russia.
Source: Al Jazeera And AP
No comments:
Post a Comment