Donetsk Is Slipping Further Out of Kiev's Grasp

Local militia in Donetsk attempted to seize the city's military academy today, in the latest sign that the situation in rebel-held eastern Ukraine’s administrative center is sliding further out of Kiev’s control.

Men wearing balaclavas and wielding AK47s stopped traffic from entering the roads surrounding the base, while another 30 camouflage-clad armed men fanned out in defensive positions in the surrounding area. The rebels had heavy-duty weaponry on display during the assault, including three rocket-propelled grenade launchers and three anti-tank missiles.

The armed men eventually withdrew after negotiations with the commander of the base, but not before the militia drove three large trucks away from the building, which has a large cache of arms inside.

"They took everything that they needed from there," a local police source told VICE News. Many law enforcement officials across the region have now defected to the rebel forces.

Watch all of VICE News' dispatches, Russian Roulette: The Invasion of Ukraine here.

Following a series of seizures last week, local militia now control most of the state administration and security service buildings in Donetsk.

In a chilling echo of the situation in Slovyansk — which has been fully under the control of the rebels for more than two weeks — men armed with automatic weaponry have begun patrolling the streets of Donetsk. Late last week, the rebels stationed in the city’s administrative headquarters only appeared in public with baseball bats and poles.

This escalation in Donetsk follows a push by the Ukrainian military to oust the militia from Slovyansk. The Kiev-backed anti-terror operation has slowly inched towards the city, but Ukraine's acting interim Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov has said the sting has "not progressed as fast as he hoped."

On Monday, following days of gentle prodding, the first major clashes took place between rebel and Ukrainian armed forces on the outskirts of the city, in a civilian zone. The number of dead is still unclear, but as the dust settles, the total body count seems to stand at ten.

At least one civilian was caught in the crossfire on Monday. Irina, 30, was hit by a stray bullet while smoking a cigarette on her balcony.

Despite more than a week's supposed offensive against the rebels, Ukraine’s army has yet to enter the city itself. If it does, there is potential for a high number of civilian causalities if the conflict descends into street warfare.

Still reeling from Tuesday's violence and anticipating another imminent assault, today Slovyansk remained tense, with most shops, businesses and schools remaining closed, and local public transport ground to a halt.

"We can't get the food supplies we need, and some of the prices for items have nearly tripled," a local waitress told VICE News. ATMs in the city have run out of money.

Meanwhile, tension is mounting among the rebels. Today, shooting was heard in the city center, and a bullet hole-riddled car was on display, crashed into a tree. Rebels said they opened fire on the vehicle after it refused to stop at a checkpoint. Video footage shows one person being taken away from an incident in a stretcher. It's unclear who was inside.

A small anti-war protest was held on the outskirts of Slovyansk Tuesday evening, where two dozen women and children gathered at the local railway station holding signs reading: "We are not terrorists."

"Avakov said all mothers and children have been evacuated, but we are still here," Valeria, 39, told VICE News.

Most in the region are now consigned to the inevitability of conflict ahead.

"We will fight until the very end, we are prepared for the war, we are prepared to fight if we are attacked," Yeveniy, a 35-year-old militia commander, told VICE News as he stood at a barricade.

The rebels are holding a referendum on the future of the region on May 11. Most want to secede from Ukraine, either as some form of federal republic, or to join with Russia.

Eastern Ukraine is on the cusp of descending into brutal street warfare. Read more here.