12 Disturbing Photos Of Pro-Russia Separatists Taking Over East Ukraine

Events in eastern Ukraine are becoming progressively more unstable with each passing day. Pro-Russian separatists have now seized government buildings in at least ten cities throughout the eastern part of the country.

Pro-Russian activists have also shot the mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. All the while journalists throughout eastern Ukraine routinely face intimidation amid the threat of kidnapping and assault.

In the city of Donetsk, Pro-Ukrainian activists took to the streets on Monday to protest against the creeping Russian takeover. Pro-Russian activists responded violently, beating protestors with clubs and other makeshift weapons. The U.S. embassy in Kyiv denounced the attacks as an act of terrorism.

Below are images of the assaults that took place. Some of the pictures are graphic.

Pro-Russian protestors jumped into the peaceful demonstration.

The pro-Russians were armed with makeshift weapons and police riot shields.

Their shields led to rumors that the police were complicit in the attack.

Riot police reportedly attempted to hold the pro-Russian separatists back, but were unable to contain the violence.

Although some police officers did try to break up the attacks, they largely failed.

Pro-Ukrainian demonstrators attempted to protect themselves the best they could.

They were unprepared to deal with the violence, however, and pro-Russian activists continued to chase them down after the rally was broke up.

In the end, dozens of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators were injured.

A few pro-Russian activists were also injured during the political violence.

The incident is further evidence that pro-Russian separatists were the real force in eastern Ukraine, where they have taken over several government buildings and banks.

Stickers on many pro-Russian guns read "Republic of Donetsk," signaling that they seek to break away from Ukraine as a whole.

Here's a video a of the mayhem from Russian propaganda channel RT, which usually doesn't show images of Ukrainians being beaten by pro-Russian radicals:

Similar pro-Russian violence is currently taking place in the eastern city of Luhansk.