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Weekend rallies in eastern Ukraine

A sum-up of weekend events in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in this photo gallery by ITAR-TASS

Photo {{sliderIndex+1}} from 14

On Saturday, Apr. 12 a group supporters of a referendum seized the city office of the Interior Ministry in Kramatorsk in Donetsk Region

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

Around 50 armed people entered the building with several shots fired in the air. Nobody was reported injured

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

On the same day, April 12, several administrative buildings were seized in Slavyansk by protesters against the current Kiev authorities

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

Protesters demanding federalization of the country occupied the local departments of the police and the Ukrainian Security Service

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

On Sunday, Apr. 13, Ukraine’s acting interim Interior minister Arsen Avakov announced the start of an anti-riot operation in Slavyansk on April 13. Photo: protester guarding a block post on Slavyansk outskirts

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

In the wake of Avakov's statement, the protesters started putting up barricades consisting of tires, wooden screens and sandbags around the police station

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

Participants in the protest action said they had been compelled to take drastic steps by statements of the Interior Ministry’s top brass. Photo: citizens handing food to protesters on the barricades

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

A Ukrainian soldier participating in the enti-riot operation behind a military vehicle

© EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

A damaged car was seen on the place of combat with Ukrainian soldiers at a block post on Slavyansk outskirts

© EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Pochuev

In Mariupol, the second largest city in Donetsk Region, protesters on Apr. 13 seized the building of the city council

© ITAR-TASS/Konstantin Sazonchik

Supporters of Ukraine's federalization at the building of the city council

© ITAR-TASS/Konstantin Sazonchik

On Saturday Apr. 12, a group supporters of a referendum seized the city office of the Interior Ministry in Kramatorsk in Donetsk Region. On the same day, Apr.12, several administrative buildings were seized in Slavyansk by protesters against the current Kiev authorities. As a response, Ukraine’s acting interim Interior minister Arsen Avakov announced the start of an anti-riot operation. In Mariupol, the second largest city in Donetsk Region, protesters on Apr. 13 seized the building of the city council. A sum-up of weekend events in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in this photo gallery by ITAR-TASS

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