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| Ukrainian forces attack eastern cities after giving rebels ultimatum | Ukrainian forces attack eastern cities after giving rebels ultimatum |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukrainian government forces have attacked several cities in the country's east after an ultimatum failed to prompt pro-Russia rebels to surrender, apparently leaving the peace plan of the president, Petro Poroshenko, in tatters. | Ukrainian government forces have attacked several cities in the country's east after an ultimatum failed to prompt pro-Russia rebels to surrender, apparently leaving the peace plan of the president, Petro Poroshenko, in tatters. |
| The fresh assaults came as Nato said Russia had resumed a miltary buildup near Ukraine. The secretary general, Anders Fogh Rassmussen, described it as "a very regrettable step backward". He said it appeared Moscow wanted to keep the option to intevene. | |
| Kiev's "anti-terrorist operation" to take back the Donetsk and Luhansk regions told rebels they had three hours in which to give up their arms, according to the spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov. They dropped leaflets on the city of Krasny Liman, which has seen heavy fighting in past weeks, offering rebels a "last chance" to save their lives by putting down their weapons. | |
| "You will all be destroyed! There will be no further warnings!" the leaflets read, according to a copy published by InfoResist – a thinktank linked to Kiev authorities. | "You will all be destroyed! There will be no further warnings!" the leaflets read, according to a copy published by InfoResist – a thinktank linked to Kiev authorities. |
| A separate leaflet for peaceful citizens warned that "fighters plan to hide behind your backs" and told them to leave the city. | A separate leaflet for peaceful citizens warned that "fighters plan to hide behind your backs" and told them to leave the city. |
| With no response, government forces attacked Krasny Liman and several other cities at once, Seleznyov said. He declined to name the other towns under attack but rebel commanders reported injuries in their ranks after artillery fire hit at least one rebel checkpoint near Krasny Liman. Ukrainian forces reportedly also shelled a rebel checkpoint and other locations in Kramatorsk. | With no response, government forces attacked Krasny Liman and several other cities at once, Seleznyov said. He declined to name the other towns under attack but rebel commanders reported injuries in their ranks after artillery fire hit at least one rebel checkpoint near Krasny Liman. Ukrainian forces reportedly also shelled a rebel checkpoint and other locations in Kramatorsk. |
| Reuters quoted a military source saying that as many as a thousand of fighters were engaged in fierce fighting around Krasny Liman, involving armoured vehicles, possibly tanks. | Reuters quoted a military source saying that as many as a thousand of fighters were engaged in fierce fighting around Krasny Liman, involving armoured vehicles, possibly tanks. |
| Rebels were spotted driving three T-64 tanks from the direction of the Russian border last week, which the Guardian later saw heading north from Donetsk towards Krasny Liman and Kramatorsk. | Rebels were spotted driving three T-64 tanks from the direction of the Russian border last week, which the Guardian later saw heading north from Donetsk towards Krasny Liman and Kramatorsk. |
| Thursday's events came less than 24 hours after Poroshenko announced a peace plan, which was intended to begin with a one-sided ceasefire followed by the disarming of "illegal military formations". His statement followed a phone call with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, whom Kiev has accused of fomenting the conflict in the east. | Thursday's events came less than 24 hours after Poroshenko announced a peace plan, which was intended to begin with a one-sided ceasefire followed by the disarming of "illegal military formations". His statement followed a phone call with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, whom Kiev has accused of fomenting the conflict in the east. |
| Poroshenko said the ceasefire would be "rather short", but it was not clear whether he meant a matter of hours. He also pledged to retake control of the porous border between Russia and the Luhansk region as part of his plan. | |
| The US vice-president, Joe Biden, commended the "commitment of President Poroshenko to move ahead with his peace plan" in a phone call with the Ukrainian leader on Wednesday night. | |
| Nonetheless, the ceasefire proposal was widely dismissed by rebel fighters on Wednesday, on the grounds that they would not lay down their weapons until pro-Kiev forces were pulled back from their territory. Alexander Khodakovsky, the leader of one of the most battle-hardened rebel battalions, told the Guardian that Ukrainian forces had broken previous ceasefire agreements and that Poroshenko was not in control of all the irregular national guard and volunteer forces fighting alongside army units. | Nonetheless, the ceasefire proposal was widely dismissed by rebel fighters on Wednesday, on the grounds that they would not lay down their weapons until pro-Kiev forces were pulled back from their territory. Alexander Khodakovsky, the leader of one of the most battle-hardened rebel battalions, told the Guardian that Ukrainian forces had broken previous ceasefire agreements and that Poroshenko was not in control of all the irregular national guard and volunteer forces fighting alongside army units. |
| "He's giving us an ultimatum to disarm, but what if people don't lay down their weapons? Closing the border amid the current conditions here is pushing people into a corner," he said. | "He's giving us an ultimatum to disarm, but what if people don't lay down their weapons? Closing the border amid the current conditions here is pushing people into a corner," he said. |
| Poroshenko has promised amnesty for those who lay down their arms but at the same time said those who had committed grievous crimes would be punished. | Poroshenko has promised amnesty for those who lay down their arms but at the same time said those who had committed grievous crimes would be punished. |