Russia warned Tuesday that any use of force in Ukraine's eastern region could lead to civil war, as Kiev seeks to regain control after pro-Moscow uprisings in three cities. Pro-Russian protesters seized government buildings in the cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv on Sunday. Declaring a "people's republic," protesters inside Donetsk's regional government building called Monday for a May 11 deadline to vote to secede from Ukraine. There were conflicting reports late Tuesday over whether demonstrators who seized control of a Security Service of Ukraine building in Luhansk took hostages. An anti-terrorism unit outside the building claimed the pro-Russian demonstrators were holding hostages, Victoria Syumar, a security service spokeswoman, and Yarema Duh, spokesman for the National Security and Defense Council, told CNN. Fifty-one people were released from the building early Wednesday morning, the security service said in a statement.
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Ukrainian, Russian, US and EU ministers will meet next week
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Ukraine's Security Service claims hostages have been released
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U.S. Navy warship heads to Black Sea in support of Eastern European allies
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Russia's Foreign Ministry says any use of force in eastern Ukraine "could lead to civil war"
Russia, which has tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border, said Monday that it was "watching closely" what was unfolding and told Ukraine to stop blaming it for @placeholder problems.