RUSSIA has begun extensive military exercises on its Ukrainian border following the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine.
‘The order to use force against civilians has already been given, and if this military machine is not stopped, the amount of casualties will only grow,’ Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said during an official meeting in Moscow. ‘We are forced to react to the situation.”
Shoigu said that the drills involve march and deployment exercises by forces in the southern and western military districts, and separate Air Force manoeuvres. He said that 11,000 Ukrainian soldiers, 160 tanks, 230 armoured carriers and at least 150 artillery pieces are involved in the operation against anti-Kiev activists.
‘National guard units and Right Sector extremists are fighting against the peaceful population, as well as a volunteer Donbass “anti-terrorist” unit. Also security and internal forces transferred to Lugansk and Donetsk from other areas of the country are suppressing dissent,’ the minister said. He added that Ukrainian sabotage units have been deployed near the Russian border.
In contrast, Shoigu said that the pro-Russian self-defence units number about 2,000 and have about 100 guns between them, which have mostly been taken from local police stations. Earlier, President Putin had said that ‘If the Kiev regime started military actions against the country’s population, this is without doubt a very serious crime.’
Earlier in the day, fighting erupted just outside Slavyansk, a town in eastern Ukraine where the population voiced their protest against the Kiev authorities. Ukrainian troops in tanks and armoured vehicles have been trying to break into the town.
According to the Ukrainian Interior ministry, at least five self-defence guards have been killed and one policeman injured after the ‘anti-terrorist operation’ launched by Kiev in the town. Three checkpoints erected by the anti-government protesters have also been destroyed.
Self-defence forces managed to repel the attack of the Kiev gunmen at one checkpoint three kilometres north of Slavyansk. At least three infantry vehicles had to retreat, reports Rossiya 24.
The military operation against protesters in eastern Ukraine resumed after being announced by Kiev authorities on Wednesday. Protesters believe the move was contrary to the agreement on de-escalation reached in Geneva.
Witnesses report on Twitter that Slavyansk self-defence forces are now burning tyres to hamper the entrance of infantry vehicles from Kiev into the city. Police have announced the beginning of the crackdown via loudspeakers and a special vehicle is currently patrolling the streets warning local people about the crackdown.
The majority of shops, kindergartens and schools have been closed in the city. Only the shops selling bread and water remain open. ‘Around 40 minutes ago fighting started on the outskirts of Slavyansk,’ one of the leaders of self-defence forces, Miroslav Rudenko, told Interfax.
‘We are checking reports of one dead and one injured. There are shootings at a number of checkpoints at some of Slavyansk exit-roads.’ Rudenko said it was impossible to reach self-defence leaders in Slavyansk by phone, suspecting that mobile phone connection could have been switched off.
Rossiya 24 TV channel reported there was a slow offensive by Ukrainian troops on Slavyansk. According to locals, at least eight armoured infantry vehicles passed the village of Hrestische, near Slavyansk, on Thursday morning, reports Gazeta.ru.
At least three snipers from the Ukrainian army are now at the barricades, the residents also told Gazeta.ru, adding that when one of the journalists tried to approach the barricades, the snipers opened fire. Meanwhile, Mayor of Slavyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, told Rossiya 24 that two columns of armoured vehicles were heading towards Slavyansk.