Pro-russian activists seized the building of Luhansk Region Administration and are now demanding to conduct a referendum on March 16th in order to join the Russian Federation, reports the OstroV journalist from Luhansk.
At 12hoo in Luhansk city centre, there was a meeting of pro-Ukrainian activists in order to commemorate Kobzar’s (Taras Shevchenko’s) 200 year anniversary by the poet’s monument.
“At around the same time, the pro-Russian activists (approximately 2 thousand people) have gathered around the Pilon Slavy (Pole of Glory) on the Square of WWII heroes. People started joining the protest, coming mainly from the side of central market. They were walking the Sovetskaya (Soviet) street’s driveway and chanting ‘Russia! Russia!’. As a result, a big group of young people has blocked the Sovetskaya street and joined the pro-Russian protest, which was excitedly welcomed by the crowd.
The people have continued moving while shooing away everything and everyone (policemen, pro-Ukrainian protesters), approached the building of region administration and broke inside of it. There were sounds of broken glass. Police was trying to hold back but was quickly dispersed.”- says the OstroV correspondent.
On the roof of the governmental building, a Ukrainian flag was taken down and a Russian one was put up instead.
The crowd chants ‘Russia! Russia! Referendum!’, and there are calls for referendum on March 16th in order to join the Russian Federation.
The meeting continues on the steps of the region administration building, a part of people have moved to the courtyard.