The armed people who seized a police building in the town of Sloviansk are representatives from the Donbas Volunteer Militia, town mayor Nelya Shtepa said after talks with them.

"Several hours after the seizure of the Sloviansk town police department, the mayor of Sloviansk held talks with armed representatives of the Donbas Volunteers Militia and started reassuring the town residents. There is no threat to the town residents, Nelya Shtepa said. The occupiers are on the people's side, they are showing their disagreement with the Kyiv authorities," according to slavgorod.com.ua, a local portal.

Shtepa also asked citizens not to provoke the armed people in camouflage to avoid scuffles.

Meanwhile, crowds have gathered outside the police building, with representatives from public organizations urging people to rally in support of those who seized the building.

Trolleys with food for the people in camouflage are being brought up to the Sloviansk police building.

At first the armed people let only representatives from Russia's Lifenews television channel into the building, later they open the doors to all reporters who showed their IDs, according to the local portal.