WASHINGTON/LUHANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – US Secretary of State John Kerry accused Russian agents and special forces yesterday of stirring separatist unrest in eastern Ukraine, saying Moscow could be trying to prepare for military action as it had in Crimea.

Armed pro-Moscow protesters were still occupying Ukrainian government buildings in two cities in the largely Russian-speaking east yesterday, although police ended a third occupation in a lightning night-time operation.

Ukraine’s security service said separatists occupying the security headquarters in Luhansk had planted bombs in the building and were holding as many as 60 hostages. Activists in the building denied they had explosives or hostages, but said they had seized an armoury full of automatic rifles.