- Title: UKRAINE: Pro-Russian protesters storm a Ukrainian security building in Donetsk
- Date: 3rd May 2014
- Summary: DONETSK, UKRAINE (MAY 3, 2014) (REUTERS) DONETSK REPUBLIC FLAG AND ENTRANCE TO THE STATE SECURITY HEADQUARTERS (SBU) PRO-RUSSIAN PROTESTERS BURNING DOCUMENTS TAKEN FROM THE SBU BUILDING DEMONSTRATORS CROWDING AROUND SBU, CHANTING (Russian): "We will not forgive Odessa" PRO-RUSSIAN ACTIVISTS THROW UKRAINIAN FLAG INTO FIRE OF BURNING DOCUMENTS UKRAINIAN FLAG ON FIRE BROKEN WINDOWS AND ENTRANCE TO SBU BUILDING BROKEN GLASS AT ENTRANCE TO SBU BUILDING PRO-RUSSIAN ACTIVISTS TAKING AWAY A MACHINE GUN PRO-RUSSIAN ACTIVISTS WALKING AWAY WITH MACHINE GUN CRATES WITH SAND BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE SBU BUILDING MESSAGE SCRAWLED ON A WINDOW, READING (Russian): "We will not forgive Odessa" CROWD OF HUNDREDS GATHERED AROUND SBU BUILDING PEOPLE WITH RUSSIAN FLAG IN FRONT OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS, OWNED BY MAGNATE AND GOVERNOR SERGEI TARUTA BROKEN WINDOW PEOPLE IN MASKS IN FRONT OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING MAN BREAKING WINDOWS CROWDS IN FRONT OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING PEOPLE ENTERING THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING PEOPLE BURNING UKRAINIAN FLAG MAN WAVING THE RUSSIAN FLAG ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING CROWD CHANTING "RUSSIA! RUSSIA!" IN FRONT OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING MAN TRYING TO BREAK A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ABOVE THE ENTRANCE MAN SPRINKLING CHAMPAGNE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING MAN HANDING OUT A BOTTLE OF ALCOHOL THROUGH BROKEN WINDOW BROKEN WINDOW AND EXIT SIGN WOMAN BREAKING WINDOW WITH A COMPUTER WOMAN THROWING AN OFFICE CHAIR OUT OF A WINDOW WOMAN THROWING A COMPUTER OUT OF A WINDOW BROKEN ELECTRONICS MAN THROWING FOLDER WITH PAPERS FROM A WINDOW POLICE STANDING BY THE ENTRANCE TO THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING MAN SMASHING A STREET LAMP IN FRONT OF THE INDUSTRIAL UNION OF DONBASS BUILDING
- Embargoed: 18th May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACDSCQCYJYE4FTR2ZTNO3YJ1CK
- Story Text: Hundreds of pro-Russian protesters in the eastern city of Donetsk stormed the governor's business premises and the state security headquarters (SBU) on Saturday (May 3).
Angry demonstrators ransacked files and smashed windows at the SBU building, which staff had vacated after the city fell largely under the control of pro-Russians.
The SBU confirmed the separatists overran the building.
The attack reflected growing disorder in the area, targeting as it did a security building that had already been brought under rebel control.
"We will not forgive Odessa!" chanted large crowds gathered outside the SBU building, with the same message scrawled onto a window.
Demonstrators set alight documents taken from the building and torched a Ukrainian flag.
One demonstrator who had entered the governor's office waved a Russian flag on top of the entrance as crowds cheered. Another sprinkled champagne at the crowds, while others could be seen smashing windows and hurling out office equipment onto the ground outside.
The Odessa clashes on Friday (May 2) which left at least 42 people killed as a result of street battles between supporters and opponents of Russia has spread the violence from the eastern separatist heartland to an area far from the Russian frontier. It has raised the prospect of unrest sweeping more broadly across a country of around 45 million people the size of France.
The Kremlin, which has massed tens of thousands of soldiers on Ukraine's eastern border and proclaims the right to invade to protect Russian speakers, said the government in Kiev and its Western backers were responsible for the deaths.
Donetsk, a city of about one million people in Ukraine's industrial east, is at the centre of an armed uprising across the steel and coal belt by mainly Russian-speakers threatening to secede from Ukraine.
Last Thursday pro-Russian protesters had stormed the prosecutor's office hurling rocks, firecrackers and teargas at riot police defending officials the rebels accused of working for Kiev's Western-backed leaders.
The police surrendered quickly and the acting president sacked the Donetsk police chief the next day for failing to protect the city and its residents.
Pro-Russian separatists in the city have declared a "People's Republic of Donetsk" and say they will hold a referendum on secession on May 11.
Police in the east have largely given up without a fight when confronted with protesters armed with clubs and with often well-organised gunmen in masks and military fatigues. But officers often continue to work, in tacit cooperation with separatist leaders who want to maintain order. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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