Pro-Russia forces released one of the eight Western military observers held in east Ukraine since Fr

Описание: (27 Apr 2014) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus009467

{Script}
PRO-RUSSIA INSURGENTS ON SUNDAY FREED ONE OF THE EIGHT EUROPEAN MILITARY OBSERVERS BEING HELD PRISONER IN EASTERN UKRAINE.
HOURS EARIER, ALL EIGHT APPEARED IN PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THEY WERE DETAINED ON FRIDAY AND ACCUSED OF SPYING FOR NATO.
UNDER ARMED GUARD, THEY GAVE ASSURANCES THEY WEREN'T BEING MISTREATED.
{SOT: Colonel Axel Schneider, Head of OSCE mission:}
"We have not been touched and we have been treated as the maximum extent which is possible under these circumstances."
STILL, ONE OF THE DETAINED MADE AN EMOTIONAL PLEA FOR THE GROUP TO BE FREED.
{SOT: German member of the OSCE delegation, NO NAME}
"Yes, I can only say please help us and that we will be released. Thank you. We are really waiting for it."
THE INSURGENTS IN SLOVYANSK (SLAHV'-yansk) HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOSTAGE, INCLUDING JOURNALISTS AND PRO-UKRAINE ACTIVISTS, AS THEY STRENGTHEN THEIR CONTROL IN THE EAST OF THE COUNTRY IN DEFIANCE OF THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT.
ON SUNDAY, THEY CAPTURED THREE UKRAINIAN SECURITY SERVICE OFFICERS, WHO WERE SHOWN TO RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS BLOODIED AND BLINDFOLDED WITH PACKING TAPE.
MEANWHILE, IN DONETSK (don-ETSK), THE REGIONAL CAPITAL OF EASTERN UKRAINE, A CROWD OF PRO-RUSSIA ACTIVISTS ON SUNDAY STORMED THE TELEVISION BROADCASTING CENTER.
THEY WERE DEMANDING THAT BROADCASTS OF UKRAINIAN-LANGUAGE CHANNELS BE SUSPENDED AND RUSSIAN STATE CHANNELS BE RESTORED.
UKRAINE'S INTERIM GOVERNMENT LAST MONTH BLOCKED THE BROADCASTS OF THE RUSSIAN CHANNELS, WHICH SERVE AS PROPAGANDA TOOLS FOR THE KREMLIN.
SUCH PRO-RUSSIA FORCES HAVE SEIZED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN AT LEAST 10 CITIES IN EASTERN UKRAINE IN RECENT WEEKS.
KELLY DASCHLE, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

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