Over the past two weeks, more than a dozen government offices in eastern Ukraine have been taken over by pro-Russian forces, replacing the Ukrainian flag with a Russian one.

The protesters have set up makeshift barricades constructed out of tires, bricks, barbed wire and regional flags outside the building.

There was, however, a tacit acceptance from some pro-Russian separatists that official deployment of troops from the Russian Federation would be inappropriate.

Protesters suggested Russia pile economic and political pressure on Kiev instead.

On Sunday the self-declared mayor of the town of Slovyansk appealed to Russia's President Vladimir Putin to help the beleaguered community by rushing in the army peacekeepers.

The call came after a shootout at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian militia near the city of Slovyansk left at least three people dead and others with gunshot wounds.

Western governments accuse Moscow of fuelling the unrest and worry that the specter of bloodshed could be used as a pretext for a Russian invasion, in a repeat of events in Crimea a few weeks ago.

Russia has tens of thousands of troops massed along Ukraine's eastern border.

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