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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Many dead' in Ukraine offensive | 'Many dead' in Ukraine offensive |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Many pro-Russia rebels have been killed, injured and arrested in the Ukrainian government offensive in the eastern city of Sloviansk, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has said. | |
| But, in a statement, he said the operation in the rebel-held city was not going as quickly as hoped. | But, in a statement, he said the operation in the rebel-held city was not going as quickly as hoped. |
| Rebels earlier shot down two Ukrainian army helicopters, killing a pilot and a serviceman. | |
| Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. | Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. |
| Moscow has said the use of the Ukrainian army against its own people is "leading Ukraine to catastrophe". | |
| The situation in Sloviansk remains unclear, with Kiev earlier saying that half the city was "under control" of Ukrainian units. | The situation in Sloviansk remains unclear, with Kiev earlier saying that half the city was "under control" of Ukrainian units. |
| Mr Turchynov said the fight against rebel forces was "greatly complicated" by the fact that the conflict in eastern Ukraine was taking place in population centres. | Mr Turchynov said the fight against rebel forces was "greatly complicated" by the fact that the conflict in eastern Ukraine was taking place in population centres. |
| Two Ukrainian army service personnel were killed in the fight for Sloviansk, he said, and he accused pro-Russian forces of hiding behind civilians and hostages. | Two Ukrainian army service personnel were killed in the fight for Sloviansk, he said, and he accused pro-Russian forces of hiding behind civilians and hostages. |
| All pro-Russian checkpoints around the city had been captured, Mr Turchynov added, though separatists have spoken of several still being under their control. | All pro-Russian checkpoints around the city had been captured, Mr Turchynov added, though separatists have spoken of several still being under their control. |
| Local people could be seen standing in front of Ukrainian tanks, according to Paul Ronzheimer, a reporter with Germany's Bild newspaper in the city. | Local people could be seen standing in front of Ukrainian tanks, according to Paul Ronzheimer, a reporter with Germany's Bild newspaper in the city. |
| Many told the soldiers to retreat, exclaiming "shoot us, we are separatists as well, just because we want to belong to Russia, shoot us", Mr Ronzheimer said. | Many told the soldiers to retreat, exclaiming "shoot us, we are separatists as well, just because we want to belong to Russia, shoot us", Mr Ronzheimer said. |
| The BBC's Fergal Keane, at a bridge outside Sloviansk where there is a stand-off between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian locals, describes the atmosphere as tense and unpredictable. | The BBC's Fergal Keane, at a bridge outside Sloviansk where there is a stand-off between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian locals, describes the atmosphere as tense and unpredictable. |
| Earlier, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the "active phase" of the operation in the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk region began at 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT). | |
| "A real battle with professional mercenaries is going on," Mr Avakov said, adding that the separatists were using the tactics of hiding behind civilians in residential buildings. | |
| Russia's state-run Rossiya 24 TV channel said the city was being "stormed". It quoted Sloviansk's rebel commander Igor Strelkov as saying that the city was completely sealed off. | |
| To the south, there have been clashes in the coastal city of Odessa between pro-Russian protesters and supporters of the Kiev government. | |
| At least one person has been killed amid reports of gunfire. | |
| In other developments: | |
| Eastern Ukraine has a large Russian-speaking population. It was a stronghold for President Viktor Yanukovych before he was overthrown by pro-Western protesters in February. | |
| Russia then annexed the Crimean peninsula - part of Ukraine but with a Russian-speaking majority - in a move that provoked international outrage. | |
| The crisis has plunged East-West relations to their lowest point since the Cold War ended in the early 1990s. |