Troops storm airfield in east Ukraine: report
Iran Press TV
Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:27PM GMT
Ukrainian troops have stormed the Kramatorsk airfield in eastern Ukraine, with Pro-Russian protesters wounded and casualties expected during the skirmish, a report says.
Armed Ukrainian troops marched upon the Kramatorsk airport which is located between Kramatorsk and Slavyansk on Tuesday, where a firefight broke out with pro-Russian protesters who controlled the site, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Russian sources say automatic firing could be heard from the direction of the military airfield with casualties feared during the battle.
Activists also reported seeing a Ukrainian fighter jet flying low over the area.
The incident comes as Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov announced "an anti-terror operation" in the east of the country.
He earlier accused Russia of having "brutal plans to destabilize the southeast of his country."
Large numbers of Ukrainian troops have also been seen entering the city of Slavyansk in preparation for an imminent attack.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the acting government in Kiev of using "criminal force" against pro-Moscow protesters in the east and the south who are seeking to separate from the country and join Russia.
Pro-Russian rallies gained momentum in Ukraine after Crimea declared independence from the former Soviet state and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16, in which nearly 97 percent of the participants voted for reunion with Russia, with a turnout of more than 83 percent.
GMA/PR/SL
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