Russia sympathisers vent anger at Ukraine Odessa deaths

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The BBC's Fergal Keane reports from Odessa's Trade Unions House

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Ukraine crisis

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Pro-Russia supporters in the Ukrainian city of Odessa have voiced their anger a day after 42 people were killed.

Friday's clashes culminated in a major fire at a trade union building where most of the deaths occurred. Hundreds of people gathered there on Saturday.

The protest comes as Ukraine says it has seized a security building from rebels in the east of the country.

Seven international monitors held by pro-Russian activists in eastern Ukraine were released earlier.

The violence in Odessa was the most serious in Ukraine since February when more than 80 people were killed during protests in Kiev against the ousted President Viktor Yanukovych.

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Analysis

Sarah RainsfordBBC News, Donetsk

A second day of military operations is under way to try to reassert central control here in eastern Ukraine and in particular in the city of Sloviansk, which has become the stronghold of pro-Russian groups.

Ukraine's interior minister has been saying "we will not stop" - suggesting that, unlike in the past when Ukrainian troops have moved in and then withdrawn, these operations will continue.

The interior ministry is also very angry that Moscow has been talking of Kiev carrying out "punitive actions" in the east and that it has been firing on civilians. The government in Ukraine is anxious that it does not give any pretext for Russia to send in its troops. That pretext would be that civilians - Russian-speaking citizens - were in danger and needed protection.

Pro-Russian groups have spoken again of needing peacekeeping troops. That would include Russians coming in to protect civilians - obviously something Kiev wants to avoid.

• Media contrast over Odessa

Groups sympathetic to Russia, some armed, are reported to have attacked a larger protest against separatism. Skirmishes between the two groups then broke out in several parts of the south-western city.

Pro-Russia protesters are later said to have sought refuge in the trade union building after their encampment was burned down. Petrol bombs were thrown leading to the deaths of at least 36 people inside, according to official figures.

The blackened trade union building, its windows broken, was ringed by police on Saturday as the crowd assembled. Some laid flowers; others chanted pro-Russian slogans.

There were isolated scuffles between rival groups and Ukrainian flags were burned or bundled away.

Military operation

Early on Saturday, the Kiev government resumed military action against Russian separatists in the east of the country, with fighting reported in some areas.

In Kramatorsk, south of rebel-held Sloviansk, Ukrainian forces recaptured the headquarters of the SBU security service from pro-Russian separatists, according to the interior ministry.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the "active phase" of the military operation was continuing, with Ukrainian forces also taking a television tower in Kramatorsk.

Axel Schneider: "According to the word given by the mayor, we have been treated as good as possible"

The defence ministry also reported "serious fighting" on Friday night in Andreevka, some 6km (4 miles) west of Sloviansk, with two Ukrainian soldiers killed.

Ten separatists were killed in Andreevka, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian force in Sloviansk said.

'Guests'

The seven international military observers freed early on Saturday were captured a week ago and held in the rebel-held town of Sloviansk.

Five Ukrainian officers captured with the observers, who are linked to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, were also released.

Pro-Russian separatists in Sloviansk say they released the OSCE observers "without conditions".

Separatist leader Vyacheslav Ponomaryov (left) said the observers left after celebrating his birthday

German Col Axel Schneider praised his observer team's attitude

There was a heavy police presence in Odessa as hundreds gathered outside the burned out trade union building

A pro-Russian activist and a pro-Ukraine supporter scuffle for a Ukrainian flag in Odessa on Saturday