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| Putin warns of 'consequences' after Ukraine's military action | Putin warns of 'consequences' after Ukraine's military action |
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| The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, warned of "consequences" on Thursday as Ukraine's government launched assaults on rebel-held eastern towns, in which up to five people were reported killed. | The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, warned of "consequences" on Thursday as Ukraine's government launched assaults on rebel-held eastern towns, in which up to five people were reported killed. |
| The offensive sent international tensions soaring and oil prices up, raising the prospect of Russia deploying troops stationed on the ex-Soviet republic's borders. | The offensive sent international tensions soaring and oil prices up, raising the prospect of Russia deploying troops stationed on the ex-Soviet republic's borders. |
| In Slavyansk, a flashpoint east Ukrainian town held by rebels since mid-April, a Ukrainian military detachment with five armoured personnel carriers took over a checkpoint on a road north of the city after it was abandoned by separatists who set tyres alight to cover their retreat. | In Slavyansk, a flashpoint east Ukrainian town held by rebels since mid-April, a Ukrainian military detachment with five armoured personnel carriers took over a checkpoint on a road north of the city after it was abandoned by separatists who set tyres alight to cover their retreat. |
| No shots were heard during that takeover but the Ukrainian interior ministry said its forces and troops had killed "up to five terrorists" while destroying three militant checkpoints northeast of the centre. | No shots were heard during that takeover but the Ukrainian interior ministry said its forces and troops had killed "up to five terrorists" while destroying three militant checkpoints northeast of the centre. |
| A separatist spokeswoman in Slavyansk said two fighters were killed in clashes. | A separatist spokeswoman in Slavyansk said two fighters were killed in clashes. |
| Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian special forces took back control of the town hall in the southeastern port city of Mariupol with no casualties, the interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said. Separatist sources confirmed the loss of the building in the port city, whose population is 500,000. | Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian special forces took back control of the town hall in the southeastern port city of Mariupol with no casualties, the interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said. Separatist sources confirmed the loss of the building in the port city, whose population is 500,000. |
| An army base in the eastern town of Artemivsk overnight also repelled an attack by heavily armed rebels using machine-guns and grenades, the interior and defence ministries said. One soldier was wounded. | An army base in the eastern town of Artemivsk overnight also repelled an attack by heavily armed rebels using machine-guns and grenades, the interior and defence ministries said. One soldier was wounded. |
| As the offensive at Slavyansk was confirmed, Putin said it would be a serious crime for Ukraine to use its army in the east. "If Kiev has really begun to use the army against the country's population ... that is a very serious crime against its own people," he said, calling Kiev's authorities a "junta". | As the offensive at Slavyansk was confirmed, Putin said it would be a serious crime for Ukraine to use its army in the east. "If Kiev has really begun to use the army against the country's population ... that is a very serious crime against its own people," he said, calling Kiev's authorities a "junta". |
| He warned of "consequences, including for our intergovernmental relations". | He warned of "consequences, including for our intergovernmental relations". |
| Russia, which has an estimated 40,000 troops massed on Ukraine's border, has already threatened to respond like it did when it invaded Georgia in 2008 if it sees its interests in Ukraine attacked. | Russia, which has an estimated 40,000 troops massed on Ukraine's border, has already threatened to respond like it did when it invaded Georgia in 2008 if it sees its interests in Ukraine attacked. |
| But it was unclear if Ukrainian troops were preparing to risk storming Slavyansk, a city of 130,000 that has become the military stronghold of a movement seeking annexation by Moscow of the Russian-speaking, industrial regions of eastern Ukraine. The troops could be planning to impose a cordon around the city to disrupt militants' contacts with the rest of the region and to promote surrender negotiations that have been begun by European OSCE monitors following an international accord signed by Russia and Ukraine's western allies a week ago in Geneva. | |
| Later reports suggested Ukrainian troops had pulled back from some of the captured checkpoints. | Later reports suggested Ukrainian troops had pulled back from some of the captured checkpoints. |
| For the past few weeks, the Kiev government has held back from combat with the rebels, saying it was concerned about civilian casualties – and about provoking reprisals from Russia. | For the past few weeks, the Kiev government has held back from combat with the rebels, saying it was concerned about civilian casualties – and about provoking reprisals from Russia. |
| The Geneva agreement, signed by Russia, the United States, Ukraine and the European Union, was in trouble as Kiev launched its offensive | The Geneva agreement, signed by Russia, the United States, Ukraine and the European Union, was in trouble as Kiev launched its offensive |
| East and west have put the onus on each other to ensure the accord is implemented on the ground. The US president, Barack Obama, said earlier on Thursday that he was poised to impose new sanctions on Moscow if it did not act fast to end the armed stand-off. | East and west have put the onus on each other to ensure the accord is implemented on the ground. The US president, Barack Obama, said earlier on Thursday that he was poised to impose new sanctions on Moscow if it did not act fast to end the armed stand-off. |