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Unrest in Crimea leaves 2 dead; government buildings seized

Gunmen seized government buildings in the pro-Russian Crimea region of Ukraine on Thursday, where rallies turned violent, leaving two dead and 35 injured.

By JC Finley

KIEV, Ukraine, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Armed gunmen seized two government buildings in Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea Thursday and raised the Russian flag on the roofs of both buildings, while rallies in the pro-Russian region turned deadly.

The buildings seized house the Crimean parliament and government. A Crimean parliament spokesman said the unidentified men broke into the parliament and ordered the security guards to leave. A barricade made of wood, garbage cans, and other materials blocks the main entrance.

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Police have cordoned off the parliament building and established a perimeter outside the government headquarters building.

Crimea's Health Ministry reported two deaths and 35 injuries at a demonstration near the Supreme Council of Crimea in Simferopol, Ukraine.

"Two people have died. The injuries include cranio-cerebral injuries, concomitant injuries, and blunt abdominal injuries."

[Interfax Ukraine News Agency]

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