11 Apr 2014 14:58

Ukraine PM urges protesters occupying Donetsk region administration HQ to surrender weapons

DONETSK. April 11 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on pro-Russian protesters to vacate the Donetsk regional administration headquarters and surrender weapons.

"I am opposed to any "force" scenarios. I call on you to vacate the illegally seized buildings and surrender weapons," he said in Donetsk on Friday.

On April 6, pro-Russian protesters took over the Donetsk regional administration building and barricaded themselves inside.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov earlier gave the protesters a 48-hour deadline for leaving the building and surrendering their weapons. Avakov did not rule out that force might be used if they refused to fulfill these demands.