You're reading: Militants seize Polish and Czech consulates in Donetsk, ban teaching of Ukrainian in Luhansk

The militants in Luhansk city are trying to switch the city to "Russian standards," and have seized the consulates of Poland and the Czech Republic in Donetsk, spokesman of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Andriy Lysenko has said.

“The terrorists are prohibiting the teaching of the history of Ukraine, and Ukrainian language and literature at educational establishments. Representatives of the self-declared ‘new power’ demand the substitution of all information on education written in Ukrainian language with Russian [texts]. Despite this, schools are still using textbooks published in Ukraine,” he said at a briefing on Tuesday, Sep. 16.

Besides, illegal armed formations are forcing employees of Luhansk state establishments to learn the laws of the Russian Federation.

In Donetsk the militants and the Russian military continue seizures of administrative buildings, the NSDC said. Lysenko said that on Monday the militants seized the Olympiysky sports complex, the building of the economic court of Donetsk region, and the consulates of Poland and the Czech Republic.