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Ukraine to fight pro-Russia forces | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ukraine's president says a full-scale operation involving the army will be launched in the east after pro-Russian militants seized government buildings. | Ukraine's president says a full-scale operation involving the army will be launched in the east after pro-Russian militants seized government buildings. |
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said he would not allow a repetition of what happened in Crimea which was annexed by Russia last month. | Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said he would not allow a repetition of what happened in Crimea which was annexed by Russia last month. |
His live televised address from parliament came after pro-Russian forces targeted half a dozen cities. | His live televised address from parliament came after pro-Russian forces targeted half a dozen cities. |
Earlier, Nato's secretary general voiced concern at events in the region. | Earlier, Nato's secretary general voiced concern at events in the region. |
And the US ambassador to the UN said the attacks this weekend bore the "tell-tale signs of Moscow's involvement." But the Kremlin denies involvement in events in eastern Ukraine. | |
Early on Sunday Ukrainian authorities said they launched an "anti-terror operation" after armed men took over the city of Sloviansk. | |
A Ukrainian officer was killed in a gun battle in the city, and there are reports the Ukrainian operation has been halted. | A Ukrainian officer was killed in a gun battle in the city, and there are reports the Ukrainian operation has been halted. |
But both sides suffered a number of casualties, interim Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said. | But both sides suffered a number of casualties, interim Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said. |
Eastern Ukraine has a large Russian-speaking population and has seen a series of protests since the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February. | |
'Sowing discord' | |
"We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine," said President Turchynov. | |
"The aggressor... is continuing to sow disorder in the east of the country." | |
But Mr Turchynov offered not to prosecute militants who gave up their weapons by early Monday. | |
Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen's statement on Sunday drew parallels with some aspects of last month's seizure of Crimea. | |
He said the "reappearance of men with specialised Russian weapons and identical uniforms without insignia, as previously worn by Russian troops during Russia's illegal and illegitimate seizure of Crimea, is a grave development". | |
A Nato source told the BBC the organisation believed that "Russian forces have been involved in the seizure of some of the buildings". | A Nato source told the BBC the organisation believed that "Russian forces have been involved in the seizure of some of the buildings". |
And the US ambassador to the UN said the attacks on police and other buildings in eastern Ukraine had "telltale signs of Moscow's involvement". | And the US ambassador to the UN said the attacks on police and other buildings in eastern Ukraine had "telltale signs of Moscow's involvement". |
"It's professional, co-ordinated. Nothing grass-roots about it," ambassador Samantha Power told ABC News. | |
"The forces are doing in each of the six or seven cities they have been active in exactly the same thing." | "The forces are doing in each of the six or seven cities they have been active in exactly the same thing." |
Turning violent | Turning violent |
On Saturday, armed men took over police stations and official buildings in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka. | On Saturday, armed men took over police stations and official buildings in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka. |
Similar accounts emerged of armed men dressed in camouflage arriving in buses in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk and storming the police stations. | Similar accounts emerged of armed men dressed in camouflage arriving in buses in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk and storming the police stations. |
BBC reporters in Sloviansk said the gunmen were well-organised and quickly established control throughout the town. Checkpoints had been set up on the main roads into the town. | BBC reporters in Sloviansk said the gunmen were well-organised and quickly established control throughout the town. Checkpoints had been set up on the main roads into the town. |
In other developments: | In other developments: |
Interior Minister Avakov labelled the weekend actions a "display of aggression by Russia". | |
Announcing the operation to clear the activists, he warned people to stay in their homes in Sloviansk. | Announcing the operation to clear the activists, he warned people to stay in their homes in Sloviansk. |
"The separatists are shooting to kill without warning against the approaching special forces," he said, | "The separatists are shooting to kill without warning against the approaching special forces," he said, |
He later said Ukrainian forces had been attacked at a checkpoint on the way to Sloviansk, and at least one officer had been killed and five others wounded. | He later said Ukrainian forces had been attacked at a checkpoint on the way to Sloviansk, and at least one officer had been killed and five others wounded. |
An unknown number of militants were also wounded, he said. | An unknown number of militants were also wounded, he said. |
Witnesses at the police station said there was no sign yet of any clashes, and the centre of the town was quiet. | Witnesses at the police station said there was no sign yet of any clashes, and the centre of the town was quiet. |
Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Ukraine". | Are you in eastern Ukraine? Have you been affected by the unrest? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Ukraine". |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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