A pro-Russian man guards the city council building in the regional capital Donetsk April 16, 2014. Separatists flew the Russian flag on armored vehicles taken from the Ukrainian army on Wednesday, humiliating a Kiev government operation to recapture eastern towns controlled by pro-Moscow partisans. In the regional capital Donetsk, at least 20 armed separatists occupied the city council building on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the council said. Rebels there have declared the independent "Donetsk People's Republic" and say they intend to take charge of all government machinery. They have called for Putin to send troops to help them if they are attacked. REUTERS/Mikhail Maslovsky (UKRAINE - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)