Pro-Russia protesters gather in Ukraine's Kharkiv
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 8, 2014 2:50PM GMT
Pro-Russian activists have gathered outside the administration building in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv, chanting slogans against the Kiev government.
The Tuesday demonstration comes after Ukrainian security forces launched what it called an "anti-terrorist operation" against protesters outside Kharkiv's regional administration building earlier in the day.
About 70 activists were arrested during the police operation, with officials declaring that the building is "totally free from the separatists who seized it earlier."
Meanwhile, more pro-Russian activists have barricaded and taken over control of the regional security services headquarters in the eastern city of Lugansk.
In the city of Donetsk, pro-Russia protesters set up checkpoints just a day after the city declared independence from the Kiev government.
The city now calls itself the People's Republic of Donetsk, and is seeking a May 11 referendum to join Russia.
Main cities in eastern and southern Ukraine have been seeking their own autonomy after Crimea declared independence and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16, in which nearly 97 percent of the voters said yes to union with Russia.
On March 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law documents that officially made Crimea part of Russian territory, a move that sparked angry reactions from the US and the EU, both imposing sanctions against a number of Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean officials.
GMA/PR/SL
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