TOPSHOTS A man takes a picture of his children in front of a barricade at the secret service building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk, which was taken over by pro-Russian separatists, on April 19, 2014. Russia was under intense US pressure today to convince pro-Moscow rebels in Ukraine to give up eastern towns they are occupying, after Washington said the situation in the former Soviet republic was in a "pivotal period". AFP PHOTO / DIMITAR DILKOFF