Ukraine's state security service says pro-Russian separatists have placed explosives in a building they seized in the eastern city of Luhansk and are using weapons to hold around 60 people against their will.
Pro-Russian activists blockade access to the Ukrainian Security Service building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk. Photo: AFP
The building was occupied on Sunday evening and the Russian flag was raised. At least nine people were injured in the takeover.
The security service says the building has been mined and the hostages are being held with explosives and other weapons.
However, the occupiers deny this:
"There are no explosives, no hostages. We do not need hostages to get what we want," said one named Anton, who described himself as a coordinator of the action.
The Luhansk building was one of several government premises seized by protesters in the east of the country demanding regional referendums on independence from Kiev.
Protesters in Donetsk remain in control of the main regional authority building, but an occupation in the city of Kharkiv is over. The interior ministry said some 70 people were detained in Kharkiv without shots being fired.
Russia refuses to recognise the new rulers in Kiev who took power after President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February.
