Crowd waving Russian flags storms government HQ in Ukrainian city of Donetsk

KIEV, Ukraine – Hundreds of demonstrators waving Russian flags have stormed a government building in Donetsk in the eastern Ukraine.

The region is the home area of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the country after massive protests in Kyiv.

An AP photographers, who was in Donetsk, said more than 2,000 people gathered in the square Wednesday afternoon outside the regional administrative building before groups of men broke through police ranks and smashed their way into the building.

Many of the protesters waved Russian and other flags. Many chanted “Russia! Russia!”

It wasn’t immediately clear if there were any injuries.

Several government buildings around Ukraine, particularly in the east, have been seized by pro-Russian demonstrators in recent days.