Independence Forces Say Ukrainian Army Seizes Town in Northern Donbas
14:49 08/07/2014
DONETSK, July 8 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian Army has taken over the town of Konstantinovka in northern Donetsk Region, representatives of the People's Republic of Donetsk told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
"Special forces seized the town of Konstantinovka in the north of Donetsk Region," local defense headquarters announced.
The town of Konstantinovka is a regional center, with a population of 95,000, situated 55 kilometers north of Donetsk.
Earlier Saturday, Ukrainian Special Forces announced that they had taken over the cities of Slaviansk and Kramatorsk. According to a statement from the deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Mykhailo Koval, a complete blockade of Donetsk and Luhansk will soon be installed in order to force local defense forces to surrender.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Valerii Heletei said there will not be another unilateral ceasefire like the one announced by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko earlier in June. Heletei added that negotiations are possible only after independence forces lay down arms.
The Kiev authorities launched a military operation in eastern Ukraine in a crackdown on citizens of the region unhappy with the February regime change. Moscow has labeled the campaign, which has led to numerous casualties on both sides, a punitive operation and has repeatedly called on Kiev to stop the bloodshed.
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