Day of death brings Russia and Ukraine closer to all-out war

RUSSIA and Ukraine inched closer to war yesterday after ‘many’ pro-Moscow separatists were killed during a major military offensive to seize back a rebel-held city.

As fighting flared in the east of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin said the operation had ‘destroyed’ any hopes of peace.

The Kremlin said Kiev’s decision to deploy the army against its own people was a ‘catastrophe’ and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

On a day of dramatic developments in the crisis:

Ukraine’s acting president Oleksandr Turchynov said the militants suffered ‘heavy losses’ in the anti-terror operation;

Separatists shot down two army helicopters with missiles, killing both pilots;

Women and children stood in front of Ukrainian tanks in protest at the offensive;

Moscow said ‘English-speaking’ mercenaries were deployed against pro-Russian forces, claiming this proved US involvement in the mission;

Military sources said Russia had deployed military helicopters to its border with Latvia and Estonia.

The crisis plunged closer to all- out conflict after government special forces launched a major ‘ anti-terrorist’ drive to snatch back the key eastern city of Sloviansk.

Mr Turchynov said: ‘ The criminals suffered heavy losses – many were killed, wounded and taken prisoner.’

But the operation in the rebel-held city was not going as quickly as hoped, he said on TV, and was ‘greatly compli-

‘Peace hopes destroyed’

cated’ by the conflict taking place in population centres. Mr Turchynov said two Ukrainian army personnel were killed in the fighting and accused pro-Russian forces of hiding behind civilians and hostages. He urged the Russian president to ‘stop threats and intimidation’ amid widespread belief that the Kremlin is supporting the militants.

In response, a Putin spokesman said the military operation launched by Kiev meant the Geneva agreement to defuse the crisis was no longer viable.

‘At the same time that Russia is taking pains to de-escalate and regulate the conflict, the Kiev regime has begun shooting up peaceful towns with military helicopters and has started a punitive operation, essentially destroying the last hope for the viability of the Geneva agreement,’ said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

TV footage from Sloviansk showed several members of the Ukrainian forces bloodied and being given medical aid while behind them barricades blazed.

Up to 50 hostages are being held in the city, including six Western monitors seized more than a week ago.

Nine checkpoints were said to have been taken by Ukraine command forces on roads into the city as troops prepared to move against heavily armed forces holding several state buildings and police stations.

Separatists launched reprisals by seizing control of the main railway station at Donetsk.

With 40,000 Russian troops and armour on the border there were fears the military offensive could be used as a reason by Mr Putin to order them to cross into Ukraine.

In Odessa, police said more than 40 people had been killed and 15 wounded in clashes between supporters of Kiev and pro-Russian activists.

DEFENCE Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday warned Russia not to attack Nato nations as RAF fighter jets patrolled the skies over eastern Europe. He urged Mr Putin not to breach a ‘red line’ by making a land grab against increasingly anxious Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia – all members of the defence alliance.

Mr Hammond hinted Britain could send more troops to the area to deter the Kremlin from invading the ex-Soviet states – raising fears the UK will be sucked deeper into the crisis.