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| Ukrainian Troops Press Rebels in Their Eastern Strongholds | Ukrainian Troops Press Rebels in Their Eastern Strongholds |
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| DONETSK, Ukraine — With street fights and artillery barrages, the Ukrainian military pressed its advance on Wednesday on the two eastern provincial capitals held by pro-Russian separatists in a day of violence that killed 52 civilians and Ukrainian soldiers and an unknown number of rebels. | |
| In one of the heaviest artillery attacks yet on the center of Donetsk, the larger of the capitals, shells struck street kiosks and residential apartment buildings near the stadium of the Shatyorsk soccer club, in the city’s heart. Fighting on the outskirts, particularly around the strategic town of Ilovaysk, a transportation hub, has also flared in recent days. | In one of the heaviest artillery attacks yet on the center of Donetsk, the larger of the capitals, shells struck street kiosks and residential apartment buildings near the stadium of the Shatyorsk soccer club, in the city’s heart. Fighting on the outskirts, particularly around the strategic town of Ilovaysk, a transportation hub, has also flared in recent days. |
| The fighting has intensified as the Ukrainian and Russian leaders prepare for a meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on Tuesday to explore a diplomatic solution to the conflict, suggesting the sides are maneuvering to achieve the strongest possible military position before then. | The fighting has intensified as the Ukrainian and Russian leaders prepare for a meeting in Minsk, Belarus, on Tuesday to explore a diplomatic solution to the conflict, suggesting the sides are maneuvering to achieve the strongest possible military position before then. |
| In Luhansk, the other remaining separatist stronghold, government forces have now gained control of “significant parts” of the city after days of street fighting, Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s National Security Council, told reporters in Kiev. | In Luhansk, the other remaining separatist stronghold, government forces have now gained control of “significant parts” of the city after days of street fighting, Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s National Security Council, told reporters in Kiev. |
| Though block-to-block fighting began in Luhansk late last week, the government’s claim of controlling areas there could not be independently confirmed. In a brief telephone interview Wednesday morning, a human rights researcher in the city said he had seen no sign of the Ukrainian Army so far. | Though block-to-block fighting began in Luhansk late last week, the government’s claim of controlling areas there could not be independently confirmed. In a brief telephone interview Wednesday morning, a human rights researcher in the city said he had seen no sign of the Ukrainian Army so far. |
| Luhansk, which is about 12 miles from the Russian border and has been cut off from water and electricity for more than two weeks, is the intended destination for a Russian aid convoy of about 270 trucks that has been stalled on the Russian side of the border for days as the Kiev government has declined to approve the crossing. | Luhansk, which is about 12 miles from the Russian border and has been cut off from water and electricity for more than two weeks, is the intended destination for a Russian aid convoy of about 270 trucks that has been stalled on the Russian side of the border for days as the Kiev government has declined to approve the crossing. |
| For the first time on Wednesday, 16 of the white trucks drove through a Russian border checkpoint around sunset, but it was unclear whether they would proceed immediately across the short no-man’s land and into Ukrainian territory. | For the first time on Wednesday, 16 of the white trucks drove through a Russian border checkpoint around sunset, but it was unclear whether they would proceed immediately across the short no-man’s land and into Ukrainian territory. |
| Sergey Karavaytsev, an official in the Russian Emergencies Ministry, said by telephone that the trucks would be checked by the Russian border service, Ukrainian border guards and representatives of the International Red Cross. He said that he did not know how long the inspections would take, but that the trucks could continue to Luhansk afterward. Russia has said the trucks are carrying water, canned meats, baby food and other goods. | Sergey Karavaytsev, an official in the Russian Emergencies Ministry, said by telephone that the trucks would be checked by the Russian border service, Ukrainian border guards and representatives of the International Red Cross. He said that he did not know how long the inspections would take, but that the trucks could continue to Luhansk afterward. Russia has said the trucks are carrying water, canned meats, baby food and other goods. |
| Red Cross officials said they had received guarantees of security overnight from parties to the fighting along the road to Luhansk and were making final preparations to get the convoy underway. | Red Cross officials said they had received guarantees of security overnight from parties to the fighting along the road to Luhansk and were making final preparations to get the convoy underway. |
| Ukrainian officials have criticized the column as a ploy to break the Ukrainian military initiative, and have speculated that the white trucks might be parked near military targets to forestall attacks. They say that many of the trucks are only half-filled and that others carry items all but useless to a besieged city, like a reported cargo of 30 tons of salt. | Ukrainian officials have criticized the column as a ploy to break the Ukrainian military initiative, and have speculated that the white trucks might be parked near military targets to forestall attacks. They say that many of the trucks are only half-filled and that others carry items all but useless to a besieged city, like a reported cargo of 30 tons of salt. |
| In the two cities, the death toll rose quickly Wednesday. The Donetsk mayor’s office reported 34 residents had died in shelling in the last 24 hours as of noon, and then updated the tally with nine more deaths in the afternoon barrages. Mr. Lysenko said nine soldiers were killed in the past day in Ilovaysk. | In the two cities, the death toll rose quickly Wednesday. The Donetsk mayor’s office reported 34 residents had died in shelling in the last 24 hours as of noon, and then updated the tally with nine more deaths in the afternoon barrages. Mr. Lysenko said nine soldiers were killed in the past day in Ilovaysk. |
| Residents in areas hit by the shelling describe terrifying barrages that crashed into buildings and courtyards seemingly arbitrarily. | Residents in areas hit by the shelling describe terrifying barrages that crashed into buildings and courtyards seemingly arbitrarily. |
| Shells landed for a second day in a neighborhood of Makiyivka, near Donetsk, about a mile from a separatist checkpoint. One blew out the windows in the bedroom of Anna Zyukova’s 2-year-old son, Vladislav, leaving pockmarks of shrapnel sprayed into the wallpaper behind his crib. “Thank God we got him out yesterday” to a relative’s home away from the shelling, Ms. Zyukova said. | Shells landed for a second day in a neighborhood of Makiyivka, near Donetsk, about a mile from a separatist checkpoint. One blew out the windows in the bedroom of Anna Zyukova’s 2-year-old son, Vladislav, leaving pockmarks of shrapnel sprayed into the wallpaper behind his crib. “Thank God we got him out yesterday” to a relative’s home away from the shelling, Ms. Zyukova said. |
| At the rebel checkpoint, a commander who offered only his nickname, Chaika, or the Seagull, said he was as baffled as anybody by the scattershot shelling into residential districts. His position was in a forest, away from homes. | At the rebel checkpoint, a commander who offered only his nickname, Chaika, or the Seagull, said he was as baffled as anybody by the scattershot shelling into residential districts. His position was in a forest, away from homes. |
| “We are soldiers and we are fighting,” he said. “We understand when they shoot at us. But why are they firing at the residential areas? We don’t know.” | “We are soldiers and we are fighting,” he said. “We understand when they shoot at us. But why are they firing at the residential areas? We don’t know.” |
| In other instances in Donetsk, hints of the intended targets are easier to ascertain. Minutes after shells hit Chelyuskiatsev Street near the soccer stadium, rebels towed a howitzer and a Grad truck-mounted rocket launcher out of the area, driving slowly past crying and panicked civilians surveying the damage. | In other instances in Donetsk, hints of the intended targets are easier to ascertain. Minutes after shells hit Chelyuskiatsev Street near the soccer stadium, rebels towed a howitzer and a Grad truck-mounted rocket launcher out of the area, driving slowly past crying and panicked civilians surveying the damage. |
| The United Nations says that more than 2,000 people have died in the conflict here since mid-April, and that the pace of civilian deaths is increasing. | The United Nations says that more than 2,000 people have died in the conflict here since mid-April, and that the pace of civilian deaths is increasing. |