KIEV, April 16. /ITAR-TASS/. The protesters continue controlling administrative offices in eight cities of the Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian media report on Wednesday.

The flag of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic is waving on the Zhdanivka city council. Protesters stated that city authorities “are on their side.” A city council in Makiivka, Mariupol mayor’s office, a city council in Kramatorsk, an executive council in Khartsyzk and a police station in Horlivka, a city council and a police department in Yenakiieve remain under their control.

Police stations and the Ukrainian Security Service departments are occupied in the city of Sloviansk. Activists also placed seven checkpoints in the city.

On Sunday, the interim Ukrainian President appointed by the country’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, and the parliament speaker, Oleksandr Turchynov, signed a decree to implement the decision taken by the Council of National Security and Defense to conduct a special operation, details of which are not disclosed. Ukrainian army servicemen are put on full combat alert. Local media reported that Ukrainian authorities had introduced military hardware in the city of Kramatorsk.