UKRAINE: Pro-Russian protesters seize Donetsk prosecutor's office and replace the Ukrainian flag by a Russian one

Record ID: 230243

  • Title: UKRAINE: Pro-Russian protesters seize Donetsk prosecutor's office and replace the Ukrainian flag by a Russian one
  • Date: 16th March 2014
  • Summary: DONETSK, UKRAINE (MARCH 16, 2014) (REUTERS) OUTSIDE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, PROTESTERS WAVING RUSSIAN FLAGS LINE OF RIOT POLICE FACING PROTESTERS WAVING RUSSIAN FLAGS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS RIOT POLICE RUSSIAN FLAG PROTESTERS PUSHING RIOT POLICE BACK PROTESTER SHOUTING AT RIOT POLICE PROTESTERS CHANTING 'RUSSIA' PROTESTERS TAKING FRAME OUT OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FRONT DOOR, BREAKING GLASS WINDOW WITH HAND PROTESTERS PROTESTER BREAKING WINDOW WITH METAL STICK PROTESTERS DOOR OPENING, PROTESTERS ENTERING WHILE SHOUTING INSIDE, PROTESTERS GETTING THROUGH METAL DETECTOR, SMOKE OR DUST RISING INSIDE, BOY RUNNING IN WITH A RUSSIAN FLAG OVER HIS SHOULDER OUTSIDE, RUSSIAN FLAG FLOATING OVER ROOF AMONG CROWD, PROTESTER RAISING FIST IN VICTORY AND APPLAUDING PROTESTER WAVING RUSSIAN FLAG, UKRAINIAN FLAG BEING TAKEN AWAY PROTESTERS WITH FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5E3LO2EDQDPYT9IZMPTZEKQ1I
  • Story Text: Pro-Russian supporters seized the prosecutor's office in Donetsk on Sunday (March 16), demanding a referendum on union with Russia will be held in the eastern Ukrainian city too .
    After a large pro-Russian crowd gathered outside the building, chanting 'Russia! Russia!' and waving Russian flags, angry protesters broke through the line of riot police and stormed the building.
    They smashed the entrance windows and and tried to dismantle the door's frame as the crowd was cheering. They then broke into the building and replaced the Ukrainian flag on top of the building with a Russian one.
    The protesters demand a referendum on breaking away from Ukraine and join Russia, similar to the one held in Crimea on Sunday, will be held in the mainly-Russian speaking city.
    Donetsk has seen its first casualty earlier this week when a young man was stabbed to death and more than a dozen people wounded after rival Ukrainian demonstrators clashed in the city square. Organisers of the pro-EU rally, which also denounced Russia's takeover of Crimea, said the dead man was from their group.
    Donetsk is the main city in the Ukraine's Donbass industrial heartland, close to the Russian border. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of supporting groups in the area which favour rule from Moscow and of sending militants over the border.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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