Police re-capture government building in Donetsk

Police re-captured the administrative headquarters of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk and have around 68 pro-Russian protesters in custody who are being questioned over the occupation.

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  1. Emma Murphy

Police have 68 in custody after re-taking building

I've been to a briefing by the Donetsk police force who said they re-took the government building overnight and have approximately 68 people in custody who are being questioned over the occupation.

Protest leader Pavel Gubarev (2nd R, top) and other pro-Russian demonstrators take part in a rally. Credit: Reuters

The force said they do not know the whereabouts of the leader Pavel Gubarev and are not sure whether he was arrested or not.

The police said it is their responsibility to keep the safe and smooth running of all government buildings and that is why they had to go in.

Large trucks have been placed right up against the door of the building today and again it has been ringed by riot police.

A large number of plain clothed police officers are standing in the street close to the building and a number of pro-Russian protesters are also gathering.

Russia set to simplify citizenship for native speakers

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Russia was simplifying the process for native speakers who have lived in Russia or the former Soviet Union to gain citizenship amid the tensions with Ukraine.

Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev. Credit: Alexander Ryumin/Photas/Tass

He was quoted by news agency Interfax as saying: "We are taking another step in this direction, we are discussing a draft federal law to simplify obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation for foreign citizens or stateless persons who are recognised as native Russian speakers."

He added that it would apply to people who had lived in Russia or a territory that was once part of the Soviet Union or Russian empire.

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Police 're-capture government building in Donetsk'

Police have retaken the administrative headquarters of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk and arrested 70 people, sources have told ITV News Europe Correspondent Emma Murphy.

The self-appointed leader of the pro-Russian movement, Pavel Gubarev, is believed to be among those arrested.

Pro-Russian & pro-Ukrainian activists in stand-off

ITV News' Europe Correspondent Emma Murphy has described tense scenes as pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian demonstrators line up facing each other in Donetsk.

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Around 200 protesters recapture Donetsk govt building

A group of pro-Russian demonstrators recaptured the regional administration building in Ukraine's Donetsk just hours after they were removed by police.

Around 200 protesters re-entered the building, despite a huge police presence, following their ejection from a building they had held since Monday.

ITV News Europe Correspondent Emma Murphy reported that the protesters raised the Russian flag again after retaking the building.

Donetsk has been the centre of pro-Russian demonstrations since Saturday, as tension between Ukraine and Russia escalated.

  1. Emma Murphy

Protesters charge police lines in Donetsk

Pro-Russian protesters in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, evicted from government buildings earlier this morning by riot police, have charged at police lines.

This morning, the city's Lenin Square had around 2,000 protesters, with more arriving.

Police lines encircled the government buildings, trying to keep protesters at bay. Credit: ITV News

The demonstrators have managed to break the first police line, shouting "Putin! Russia! Putin! Russia!"

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