Ukrainian special forces kill five pro-Russian separatists

Firewall: Ukrainian troops move through a checkpoint near Slaviansk (Picture: Reuters)

24 April 2014

Ukrainian special forces today killed up to five pro-Moscow separatists during an assault on their stronghold in the east of the country.

They stormed several checkpoints manned by the militants near the symbolic town of Slovyansk. The separatists vowed to fight to the “last drop of blood” and defend the town as Russians had defended Stalingrad against the Nazis in the Second World War.

President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly said he will act if ethnic Russians are threatened in Ukraine, today branded Kiev’s military operation “a crime”.

The Ukrainian government re-launched its military operation to thwart separatists after a pro-Kiev politician was allegedly tortured and killed by the pro-Russian militants.

US troops also arrived in Poland today for military exercises. RAF jets were also scrambled last night when Russian planes flew towards British airspace.

Smoke: a member of the Ukrainian special forces takes position at an abandoned roadblock in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk (Picture: AFP/Getty)

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said that military forces killed “up to five terrorists” while destroying three checkpoints north of Slovyansk. It added that only one of the government troops had been injured so far.

At least 10 Ukrainian government armoured vehicles were seen to the north of the town, while two helicopters cirv over the area. Near the town of Makatikha, several miles north of Slovyansk, pro-Russian militia set fire to tyre barricades in an attempt to reduce visibility from the air.

Separatist spokeswoman Stella Khorosheva confirmed that two pro-Russian fighters had been killed at a checkpoint in the village of Khrestyshche, six miles north of Slovyansk.

She went on: “We will defend ourselves to our last drop of blood. We are ready to repeat Stalingrad.”

Mr Putin, who has 40,000 Russian troops waiting across the border, threatened Kiev with unspecified consequences in the wake of the operation’s launch.

The Kremlin maintains it has the right to protect Russian-speakers if they come under threat, a reason it gave for annexing the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine last month.

Mr Putin said: “If the Kiev government is using the army against its own people this is clearly a grave crime.”

Ukrainian special forces kill five pro-Russian separatists

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