SLOVIANSK, May 02. /ITAR-TASS/. Shooting has resumed in the centre of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk not far from the Ukrainian Security Service’s regional branch occupied by protesters, a policeman told ITAR-TASS by phone on Friday.

“Clashes started again near the headquarters (the Security Council building). Shooting is heard 300 metres behind residential houses,” he said.

Local residents have blocked an approach to the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk in Donetsk Region from the direction of the settlement of Andreyevka to paratroopers of Ukrainian armed forces, local media reported.

“Local residents have blocked Ukrainian paratroopers from both sides near Andreyevka,” media reports said.

Meanwhile, local residents have blocked a railway crossing barring the military from going through it.

Parliament-appointed Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has earlier put forth demands to federalisation supporters to lay down arms and start talks. Current Kiev authorities have launched a punitive operation in the city of Sloviansk on Friday morning. Ukrainian armed forces have lost three helicopter gunships, including two choppers Mil Mi-24 and a military transport helicopter Mi-8 in clashes. Two Ukrainian servicemen and a militiaman of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic were killed in the Sloviansk storming operation.