Cultural centre becomes contested site in Ukraine crisis

The Izolyatsia Foundation, a cultural centre in Donetsk in south eastern Ukraine, has been occupied by pro-Russian separatists. The Trans Europe Halles (TEH), a network of European cultural centres, is reporting that on Monday morning an armed group entered the property demanding the appropriation of the site and its buildings for the benefit of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and its activities.

TEH is condemning the move, saying it “shows the disrespect of the DPR towards some of the most important values in a free society” and is calling for the separatists to immediately leave the premises. Izolyatsia, an independent not-for-profit organisation established in 2010 on the site of a former insulation factory, aims to “provide a hub of cultural excellence delivering social, economic and ecological transformation to a post-industrial hinterland.”

Pro-Russian activists have taken over a number of government buildings in eastern Ukraine, after declaring it a ‘people’s republic’ in early April. Ukraine's new President Petro Poroshenko has pledged to end the deadly fighting this week.