Eastern Ukrainian region declares independence

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Pro-Russian activists who seized the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk raise the flag of the so-called "Donetsk Republic,"April 7, 2014.

They proclaimed the creation of a sovereign "people's republic" independent of Kiev's rule.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian activists who seized the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk vote, April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

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A young demonstrator with his mouth covered by a Russian flag attends a rally of pro-Russia supporters outside the regional government administration building in the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 5, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian supporters clash with members of the riot police as they storm the regional administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 6, 2014.

About 50 protesters chanting "Donetsk is a Russian city!" broke through police lines and stormed inside the main administration building of the eastern Ukrainian city.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian activists guard a barricade set at the Donetsk regional council office building in the eastern city of Donetsk, April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian activists who seized the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk hold Russian flag and the flag of the so-called "Donetsk Republic," April 7, 2014.

Kharkiv

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Pro-Russian activists hold red flags with the communist hammer and sickle during a rally at the regional administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian activists guard the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian activists who seized the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk applaud after a vote on April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian protesters hold a symbolic boundary pillar with Russian national flags and a placard reading "America, Europe hands off from Ukraine and Russia. We are a united people" during a rally in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 6, 2014.

Donetsk

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Pro-Russian protesters hold Russian national flags during a rally in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 6, 2014.

Donetsk

Alexander Khudoteply/AFP/Getty Images

Pro-Russian supporters clash with members of the riot police as they storm the regional administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, April 6, 2014.

Donetsk

Alexander Khudoteply/AFP/Getty Images

Pro-Russian activists guard a barricade set at the Donetsk regional council office building on the eastern city of Donetsk, April 7, 2014.

Donetsk

Alexander Khudoteply/AFP/Getty Images

Pro-Russian activists who seized the main administration building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk hold Russian flag and the flag of the so-called "Donetsk Republic," April 7, 2014.