In a complex to and fro the Ukrainian flag flies once again over the Donetsk regional headquarters in eastern Ukraine.
Since Monday, the building has been passing back and forth between pro-Russian groups and Ukrainian authorities.
Police sources said that the pro-Moscow protesters who stormed the building on Wednesday afternoon had left overnight, and there were unconfirmed reports that at least 70 were arrested.
Though the Donetsk building is back in pro-government hands, the situation in Crimea is rapidly evolving. Tim Guldimann, an observer from the democratic watchdog the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) described a country on the brink.
“The situation might seem quiet, almost normal if you go out on the streets. However, it’s extremely tense and I would consider this as a miracle that bloodshed could be avoided so far.”
The tensions are far from over, the Polish defence minister reported that the OSCE monitoring mission had been barred from entering Crimea by unidentified troops.
