Ukraine's Interior Minister has backed the use of firearms on the part of the authorities as "in line with the law".

"Taking into account that police perform their duties on maintaining public order without firearms, it was decided to pull out the forces toward the government neighborhood. To minimize losses among the unarmed policemen while they were retreating from the area under fire, armed security forces arrived at the scene. They used weapons in line with the Ukrainian law on Police", Vitaliy Zakharchenko posted in an official statement of his ministry.

"When an outrage is committed in the state and when attacks on the people and looting are spreading, when people don't know what to expect further, it is the people in uniform's duty to protect their citizens", the minister added.

Zakharchenko stated that the government has always been open to dialogue with the public and with policymakers, but they have not seen a reciprocal commitment so far.