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| Ukraine army launches assault on rebel stronghold | Ukraine army launches assault on rebel stronghold |
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| SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — The Ukrainian army launched its first major assault on a rebel stronghold in the east of the country on Friday, provoking the heaviest fighting since a pro-Russian uprising began a month ago. Two military helicopters were shot down, and at least three people were reported killed. | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman called the offensive a “criminal” act and said it had “effectively destroyed the last hope for the implementation of the Geneva agreements” reached on April 17 and intended to defuse the crisis. | |
| Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops along the border with Ukraine, and Friday’s developments raised the risks of a Russian military response. | |
| Ukrainian troops attacked the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk at dawn, taking several checkpoints around the city but meeting heavy resistance from pro-Russian separatists. | |
| Two Ukrainian helicopters were shot down and two crew members killed, the Defense Ministry said. One pilot was captured by the rebels and transferred to a local hospital, medics told local media. Rebels said one of their fighters was killed. | |
| Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the army attacked at 4:30 a.m. local time and came under heavy fire from what he called “terrorists” and “professional mercenaries,” as it attempted to take the city. | Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the army attacked at 4:30 a.m. local time and came under heavy fire from what he called “terrorists” and “professional mercenaries,” as it attempted to take the city. |
| “Against Ukraine’s special forces, terrorists used heavy fire, including grenade launchers and antiaircraft rocket launchers,” he posted on his Facebook page. “It is the real battle with professional mercenaries.” | “Against Ukraine’s special forces, terrorists used heavy fire, including grenade launchers and antiaircraft rocket launchers,” he posted on his Facebook page. “It is the real battle with professional mercenaries.” |
| The Ukrainian Security Service said its fighters were facing “highly skilled foreign military men” in Slovyansk. It said one of the helicopters was shot down with a surface-to-air missile, which it said undercut Russia’s claims that the city is under the control of civilians who took up arms. | |
| Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt agreed. “Ukrainian helicopters shot down in Slovyansk. Some elderly ladies bought some RPGs or missiles at the local grocery store, I assume,” he posted on Twitter. | |
| Avakov said the separatists were firing from residential apartment buildings because they knew the army was under orders not to fire at such buildings. | Avakov said the separatists were firing from residential apartment buildings because they knew the army was under orders not to fire at such buildings. |
| He said the army took control of nine checkpoints around the city, although some remained in rebel hands, according to a Washington Post correspondent in the area. Ukrainian troops in armored personnel carriers were stationed on roads leading into Slovyansk, although fighting seemed to have subsided by late morning. | He said the army took control of nine checkpoints around the city, although some remained in rebel hands, according to a Washington Post correspondent in the area. Ukrainian troops in armored personnel carriers were stationed on roads leading into Slovyansk, although fighting seemed to have subsided by late morning. |
| In a video message posted on the Internet, he urged women, children and senior citizens to remain in their homes but asked men with guns “to render all possible assistance.” | |
| “We will defend the city. We will win,” he said. | |
| A spokesman for the military wing of the pro-Russian forces, who identified himself only as Vladislav, said fighting broke out at several points around the city and that Ukrainian troops made incursions into the city itself, AP reported. | A spokesman for the military wing of the pro-Russian forces, who identified himself only as Vladislav, said fighting broke out at several points around the city and that Ukrainian troops made incursions into the city itself, AP reported. |
| At one burning barricade manned by rebels, a fighter who gave his name as Thunder said he had two children and a pregnant wife at home. “I believe the Russian army will be here soon,” he said. “It is time.” | At one burning barricade manned by rebels, a fighter who gave his name as Thunder said he had two children and a pregnant wife at home. “I believe the Russian army will be here soon,” he said. “It is time.” |
| Ukraine’s assault began a day after Putin demanded that the government in Kiev withdraw all military units from the southeast of the country. It also came a day after the International Monetary Fund warned that it would have to redesign a $17 billion bailout of Ukraine if the government lost control of eastern Ukraine, its industrial heartland. | |
| Putin on Thursday sent a special envoy, Vladimir Lukin, to eastern Ukraine to negotiate with pro-Russian separatists who have taken seven international observers hostage in Slovyansk, his spokesman Dmitri Peskov told the Interfax news service. | |
| Lukin, Russia’s human rights commissioner, was also Putin’s special envoy to Kiev in February during negotiations before Ukraine’s then-president, Viktor Yanukovych, fled the country in the face of popular protests. | |
| Tens of thousands of Russian troops have massed at the Ukrainian border, and Russia says it reserves the right to intervene to protect ethnic Russians. Ukraine accuses Russia of financing and arming the separatists, who have seized government buildings across the east of the country and have vowed to hold a referendum on independence on May 11. Russia denies the charge. | Tens of thousands of Russian troops have massed at the Ukrainian border, and Russia says it reserves the right to intervene to protect ethnic Russians. Ukraine accuses Russia of financing and arming the separatists, who have seized government buildings across the east of the country and have vowed to hold a referendum on independence on May 11. Russia denies the charge. |
| Residents of Slovyansk used tires, sandbags and logs to barricade their neighborhoods, and some complained that the Ukrainian army was endangering their lives. | Residents of Slovyansk used tires, sandbags and logs to barricade their neighborhoods, and some complained that the Ukrainian army was endangering their lives. |
| Others linked arms to form human chains in an attempt prevent Ukrainian troops from advancing, according to photos posted on social media. | |
| “We should be evacuated, but Kiev thinks of us as terrorists,” said Natalye Botte, a 26-year-old woman who left her home to visit a local kiosk and find out what was happening. “They fly above our heads shooting all day, but there is an orphanage here full of kids, and we have children at home.” | “We should be evacuated, but Kiev thinks of us as terrorists,” said Natalye Botte, a 26-year-old woman who left her home to visit a local kiosk and find out what was happening. “They fly above our heads shooting all day, but there is an orphanage here full of kids, and we have children at home.” |
| She said she had heard shooting between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time, and two loud explosions, adding that her 2-year-old girl had been scared and unable to sleep. A nearby checkpoint was now controlled by the Ukrainian army. | She said she had heard shooting between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time, and two loud explosions, adding that her 2-year-old girl had been scared and unable to sleep. A nearby checkpoint was now controlled by the Ukrainian army. |
| Ukraine’s internal security service accused separatist leaders of ordering their fighters to collect civilians at checkpoints and in buildings to be used as “human shields.” | Ukraine’s internal security service accused separatist leaders of ordering their fighters to collect civilians at checkpoints and in buildings to be used as “human shields.” |
| “The militants also fired at the helicopter of Ministry of Emergency, which arrived on the scene with a team of doctors to provide assistance and evacuation, and wounded one of the doctors,” the security service said in a statement. | “The militants also fired at the helicopter of Ministry of Emergency, which arrived on the scene with a team of doctors to provide assistance and evacuation, and wounded one of the doctors,” the security service said in a statement. |
| Ukraine’s acting president said this week that police were “helpless” to prevent pro-Russian separatists from taking control of large parts of eastern Ukraine. Although the Kiev government announced it had launched an “anti-terrorist” operation in early April, it has been slow to act until now, partly for fear of provoking a Russian intervention in response. | Ukraine’s acting president said this week that police were “helpless” to prevent pro-Russian separatists from taking control of large parts of eastern Ukraine. Although the Kiev government announced it had launched an “anti-terrorist” operation in early April, it has been slow to act until now, partly for fear of provoking a Russian intervention in response. |
| Rebels in Slovyansk have taken several hostages, including journalists and the seven members of a European security monitoring organization. Interior Minister Avakov said the objective of Friday’s operation was to free the hostages, force rebels to lay down their arms, release administrative buildings from their control, and restore the normal functioning of the city administration. | |
| Denyer reported from Donetsk, Ukraine. Birnbaum reported from Moscow. | Denyer reported from Donetsk, Ukraine. Birnbaum reported from Moscow. |