DONETSK/KIEV, April 24 (RIA Novosti) – The situation in eastern Ukraine’s Slaviansk remains out of control, so a special operation by authorities continues, the country’s Security Service said Thursday without disclosing details of the operation.
"The situation in Slaviansk is now out of control, what is happening there is totally on the conscience of those armed people who are terrorizing citizens," said Marina Ostapenko, the head of the service's press office.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs said five militiamen were killed and one Ukrainian law enforcement officer was wounded during actions by special operation troops to dismantle checkpoints in the city. The ministry added three of seven checkpoints had been cleared.
Earlier Thursday, regional police reported self-defense forces had constructed eight checkpoints in the city. The number of victims was also confirmed by presidential candidate of Ukraine Oleg Tsarev.
"I had this information; we confirmed the number of deaths. Three died at the first checkpoint, two more during another shootout," Tsarev said in an interview with the Russia 24 TV channel.
Protesters in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slaviansk and Kramatorsk refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and are urging interim authorities to hold referendums similar to the one held in Crimea last month, which led to the republic's reunification with Russia.
Ukrainian authorities launched a special operation to crack down on pro-federalization activists in eastern regions of the country that have been swept by rallies since last month.
