General mobilization announced in Ukraine's Donetsk People's Republic
24 April 2014, 15:37 -- The leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic has declared a general mobilization in the region because of the Ukrainian security operation in Slavyansk. 'A combined arms operation has been launched in Slavyansk. This means only one thing: a civil war,' the leadership of the Donetsk People's Republic said.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry had circulated a report earlier on Thursday that five members of the so-called self-defense forces had been killed in an operation near Slavyansk.
Ukraine's Slavyansk: 5 killed, one injured, but self-defense fighters rebuff attack of Kiev's special task force
The people's self-defence fighters in Ukraine's Slavyansk city together with a reinforcement that arrived from Krasny Liman, have rebuffed an attack of the Ukrainian military who are engaged in a special operationat the entrance to Slavyansk, local media reported on Thursday. During the 'special operation' 5 people were killed, and one seriously wounded, according to the reports.
'The convoy of armoured vehicles has yielded ground. The people's police have got reinforcement from the city of Krasny Liman. Volunteers - even unarmed - continue to arrive at the strategic post,' according to a local report.
According to the media, the people's policemen are currently sweeping the nearby forest belt. According to some information, the armoured vehicles of the Ukrainian special task force have been moved away, but the military themselves could have massed not far from the block post.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry for its part claims that the law enforcers have taken under control three self-defence block posts in Slavyansk. The ministry says on its official website that the ministry officers and Ukrainian Defense Ministry servicemen have killed five protesters during the operation. One of the participants in the 'active phase' of the operation has been wounded.
Self-defence fighters earlier in the day came under fire near Slavyansk. One man was killed. The Rossiya 24 news television channel reported that armoured vehicles were coming to the city and snipers were taking positions near the barricades.
Armed vehicles moving towards Slavyansk, federalists ready for defense
Two columns of Ukrainian military armored vehicles are advancing towards Slavyansk, People's Mayor Vyacheslav Ponomarev said in an interview with the Russia 24 TV channel Thursday. 'We are surrounded and sieged. Still, we will make a stand,' Ponomarev said. The self-defense forces are 'strong enough to resist,' he said. 'We have enough forces, but not so many weapons.'
A Russia 24 TV channel reporter on the scene said that one of the columns of armored vehicles is already in the city.
Two checkpoints have been attacked, and a gunfight at one of them is continuing, Ponomarev said.
The clashes were in general confined to the outskirts of the city. Residents were warned not to leave their homes.
'Everyone is warned, if need be, they will all be evacuated,' the people's mayor said.
Federalization supporters in the eastern cities of Kharkov, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and have demanded a Crimea-style referendum on the status of their regions.
After deadly attacks on protesters last Sunday, Slavyansk has remained a hotspot for demonstrations despite the Kiev interim government's vow to crack down on the pro-federalization drive inspired by last month's referendum in Crimea.
Kiev resumes special operation in Slavyansk: 5 activists dead, one policeman injured
A special operation is under way in Slavyansk, in the Donetsk region, in the east of Ukraine. Five militiamen are said to have been killed, one police officer wounded and three checkpoints wiped out, according to the Ukraine's Interior Ministry.
One task force soldier has been wounded, according to the report. The Donetsk region police department said earlier that the self-defence force had set up 8 checkpoints in Slavyansk.
Situation in Slavyansk out of control, special operation still on - SBU
The situation in Slavyansk, in the Donetsk region, is out of control, so the special operation is continuing, but the power agency officers involved refuse to disclose details.
The head of Ukraine's security service SBU, Marina Ostapenko, told a news conference on Thursday that power agency officers are continuing their special operation, but cannot disclose the details.
Unknown gunmen kill two near Ukraine's eastern Slavyansk - reports
Unknown gunmen have attacked a checkpoint near Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine. Two people were killed, local self-defense forces spokesperson Stella Horosheva told RT.
'Unfortunately, the reports of a shooting have been confirmed,' Horosheva said.
'Every night some sort of an incident takes place at one of our checkpoints. This time suspicious armed people were passing by and the self-defense members approached them to check their IDs. But the gunmen opened fire.'
Donetsk militia report gunfire in Artemovsk
The self-defense forces of the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, claim that unknown persons have opened fire in the town of Artemovsk.
'As far as Artemovsk is concerned, the situation is not quiet there. Gunfire can be heard in the town. So far there have been no reports of fatalities or injuries,' a self-defense forces spokesman told Interfax by phone.
Interfax has so far been unable to obtain official confirmation of the report. The press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported earlier that soldiers of Ukraine's Armed Forces had rebuffed an overnight attack staged by unknown persons on weapons depots in Artemovsk.
One killed as militia mobile group comes under fire near Ukraine's Slavyansk - self-defense forces
The self-defense forces of the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, claim that unknown persons opened fire on a militia mobile group. Reports of possible fatalities are being verified.
'Forty minutes ago a group of armed persons was spotted on a motorway leading from Slavyansk to Slavyanogorsk. A mobile group headed to the site from the 'Kombirkomochny' checkpoint. However, fire was opened on them from a nearby forest. The information available to us indicates that one person was killed and another one was injured,' a Slavyansk self-defense force spokesman told Interfax.
Militia members are currently combing the forest looking for the attackers, he said.
Ukraine soldiers rebuff attack on weapons depots in Artemovsk - Defense Ministry
Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces rebuffed an overnight attack staged by unknown persons on weapons depots in the town of Artemovsk in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on its website on Thursday morning.
'Early on April 24, some 100 unknown people staged an armed attack on a military unit in the town of Artemovsk, Donetsk region. The attackers were firing from automatic weapons and grenade launchers, and were actively using fragmentation hand grenades,' the ministry said.
A soldier, who is serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces under contract, sustained a non-life threatening wound during the incident, it said. All facilities of this military unit remain under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
'The administration of the Defense Ministry and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine once again persistently call on citizens not to get involved in any provocative and other unlawful actions aimed at supporting the armed separatists' activities on the territory of Ukraine's eastern regions,' the ministry said.
Servicemen are allowed to use weapons during security efforts in situations permitted by Ukraine's laws and the Armed Forces charter.
The attack on the weapons depots in Artemovsk was earlier announced by the head of the Center for Military-Political Studies and Information Resistance group coordinator, Dmitry Tymchuk.
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