Deadly battle at Ukraine military base

Three pro-Russian militants were killed and 13 wounded after they tried to storm a Ukrainian army base early today, the government in Kiev said.

They were among a group of 300 who rushed the National Guard base armed with Molotov cocktails. Troops inside opened fire to disperse the crowd, and 63 people were arrested.

The clash was in Mariupol, in south-east Ukraine near the Sea of Azov, less than 40 miles from the Russian border. It was the deadliest incident so far as government forces try to wrest control of the area from separatists.

The EU, US, Ukraine and Russia were preparing for talks in Geneva today aimed at defusing the crisis. But hopes were low, with US secretary of state John Kerry simply shrugging when asked if he expected progress.

Ukrainian interior minister Arsen Avakov said no government troops were killed at Mariupol. He added: “The gang was dispersed after a short battle, most were cornered and disarmed. Because it was such an aggressive attack we decided to reinforce [our troops] with Omega special forces. Helicopters have been deployed.” Armed separatists have seized police and administrative buildings in at least 10 towns, including regional capital Donetsk.

One town, Slovyansk, appears to be completely under militants’ control. Protesters are demanding more autonomy and closer links to Russia for their mainly Russian-speaking regions. Kiev has launched an “anti-terror” operation to try to push separatists out. Yesterday it alleged Russia’s 45th Guards Regiment of Airborne Troops was coordinating unrest. The Kremlin dismissed this. Insurgents claim government forces are defecting to their side, bringing weapons and armoured cars. Ukraine’s defence ministry admitted yesterday that pro-Russian militants seized six armoured vehicles after locals blockaded them in Kramatorsk.

Kiev fears the Kremlin will use instab-ility as a pretext for invasion, after Russia’s annexation of Crimea last month. Nato says Russia has about 40,000 troops near its border with Ukraine. Moscow denies it wants to invade.

In a TV phone-in today, President Vladimir Putin described claims that Russian special forces were fomenting unrest as “nonsense”, and said people in east Ukraine had risen against Kiev authorities who had “seized power”.

He acknowledged for the first time that soldiers in unmarked uniforms seen in Crimea were Russian troops. He said their presence was necessary to protect the local population.