Election boycott in eastern Ukraine

Voter lists and ballot papers have been removed from administrative buildings in eastern Ukraine ahead of Sunday’s election.

It is an enforced boycott as separatist groups disrupt the political process with reports that some lists were seized at gunpoint and several buildings, set to be used as polling stations forced to close.

It’s claimed staff walked out of one election office on hearing a colleague in another one had been abducted. There are stories of officials being threatened by phone.

Throughout Thursday night artillery fire was the threat for the residents of Slovyansk. The city was shaken after pro-Russian forces and Ukrainian troops clashed.

In Karlovka about 15 kilometres west of Donetsk it’s reported at least five people were killed in an ambush.

The leader of a Ukrainian militia group said his men had been on a reconnaissance mission when it ran into a checkpoint manned by heavily-armed separatists.

It comes a day after at least 13 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in a firefight with rebel gunmen south of Donetsk.