Pro-Russia militants took control of several buildings in the town of Slavyansk Saturday including a police station. More than a dozen gunmen arrived in buses and opened fire before entering the building. CCTV’s Michal Bardavid reports.

Gunmen Open fire in Slavyansk Ukraine

Pro-Russia militants took control of several buildings in the town of Slavyansk Saturday including a police station. More than a dozen gunmen arrived in buses and opened fire before entering the building. CCTV's Michal Bardavid is in Kiev and filed this report.

Men also tried to storm administrative buildings in Kramatorsk and exchanged gunfire with police. Ukraine describes the events as ‘aggression’ by Russia and convened an emergency meeting of top security officials. The US Vice President Joe Biden will visit Ukraine this month.

Earlier Saturday armed men wearing masks and camouflage suits took over a police station and a security services headquarters in the town of Slavyansk. 90 miles from the Russian border – pro-Russian activists raised yet another flag demonstrating their allegiance in Eastern Ukraine.

While people have been protesting in Eastern Ukraine calling for autonomy, there’s a different scene here in Kiev today–there’s a rally about to take place at the Shevchenko Boulevard where people will try to hold hands and symbolize the unity of Ukraine.

And symbolize they did. Holding hands and singing songs, the crowd cheered for a united Ukraine – among them the country’s Foreign Minister and deputy Foreign Minister.

Songs of peace aside – a stronger call for Moscow to change its stance came from the U.S. as new sanctions were declared, targeting more individuals and a Russian gas company.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government pulled back two of its ships from Sevastopol to the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv. Some 70 Ukrainian warships remain in Crimea, waiting to be transported.

Topping the list is a critical gas dispute. Russian President Putin has reassured European leaders Russia will fulfill its obligations to them, yet has complained that Ukraine has not been paying its dues – and stated that Russia cannot tolerate this.

With a full plate of critical issues-Saturday night’s emergency national security meeting in Kiev is quite likely to run long.

CCTV’s Asieh Namdar is joined by Ivan Eland, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace and Liberty at The Independent Institute, to talk more on the Ukraine Crisis.