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Ukraine conflict: Ground forces 'storming Luhansk' | Ukraine conflict: Ground forces 'storming Luhansk' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Government forces in eastern Ukraine have begun storming the rebel-held city of Luhansk with tanks, Russian news agency reports quoting rebels say. | Government forces in eastern Ukraine have begun storming the rebel-held city of Luhansk with tanks, Russian news agency reports quoting rebels say. |
Heavy fighting erupted as columns of government armour attacked from the south and west, rebel military leader Igor Strelkov was quoted as saying. | Heavy fighting erupted as columns of government armour attacked from the south and west, rebel military leader Igor Strelkov was quoted as saying. |
He said there were unconfirmed reports of special forces landing by helicopter inside the city of 425,000 people. | He said there were unconfirmed reports of special forces landing by helicopter inside the city of 425,000 people. |
There was no immediate confirmation from Kiev but bloggers report fighting. | |
Pro-Russian separatist rebels have been fighting the government in Kiev since declaring independence in Luhansk and the neighbouring region of Donetsk in April. | Pro-Russian separatist rebels have been fighting the government in Kiev since declaring independence in Luhansk and the neighbouring region of Donetsk in April. |
'Seventy tanks' | 'Seventy tanks' |
"Heavy fighting is under way on the outskirts of Luhansk," Strelkov told Ria-Novosti news agency. | "Heavy fighting is under way on the outskirts of Luhansk," Strelkov told Ria-Novosti news agency. |
"The enemy has thrown around 70 tanks into the battle in two compact groups of armour. There is as yet unconfirmed information about a helicopter landing of enemy special forces in the city itself." | "The enemy has thrown around 70 tanks into the battle in two compact groups of armour. There is as yet unconfirmed information about a helicopter landing of enemy special forces in the city itself." |
The rebels were fighting artillery skirmishes with the Ukrainian army "along the front", he said. | The rebels were fighting artillery skirmishes with the Ukrainian army "along the front", he said. |
Ukrainian forces entered the village of Sabivka, just west of Luhansk, on Sunday, according to a report (in Russian) on the local anti-rebel news website Informator, | |
Shooting broke out and local residents took shelter in cellars, it said. | |
Another local pro-Ukrainian news website, 0642.ua, also reported fighting in Sabivka, quoting an unnamed local woman. | |
An anonymous Luhansk blogger, who tweets as @journal1st_88, wrote of hearing explosions, sirens, shooting and planes flying overhead in Luhansk. | |
No meeting | |
The government began an "anti-terrorist operation" in April to crush the rebellion in the eastern regions. | The government began an "anti-terrorist operation" in April to crush the rebellion in the eastern regions. |
On Friday, it suffered one of its heaviest losses when an armoured column was hit by rebel rockets in Donetsk region and at least 19 soldiers were killed and about 100 injured. | On Friday, it suffered one of its heaviest losses when an armoured column was hit by rebel rockets in Donetsk region and at least 19 soldiers were killed and about 100 injured. |
More than 1,000 civilians and combatants are believed to have died in the fighting since April. | More than 1,000 civilians and combatants are believed to have died in the fighting since April. |
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced he will not be attending the football World Cup final in Brazil. | Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced he will not be attending the football World Cup final in Brazil. |
He had been expected to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin there to discuss the crisis. | He had been expected to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin there to discuss the crisis. |
Are you in Luhansk? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject 'Luhansk'. | |
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