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| Europe |
| Ukraine vows to continue military operations |
| 2014-07-10 |
| [Iran Press TV] Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has promised to continue military operations against pro-Russian forces in the country's eastern regions. During a visit to the eastern city of Slavyansk, where pro-Russian forces have reportedly been defeated, Poroshenko praised the Ukrainian troops for their efforts in retaking the city. The city is now under a siege to stop the return of the militias. On July 5, Ukrainian forces retook control of Slavyansk following overnight attacks. Andrei Purgin, deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said fighters only left Slavyansk to protect the civilian population. According to reports, the government troops' next stop is the two main cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine's mainly Russian-speaking parts in the east have witnessed deadly festivities between pro-Russia activists and the Ukrainian army since the government in Kiev launched military operations in mid-April in a bid to crush the pro-Russia protests. Violence intensified in May after the Donetsk and Lugansk regions held local referendums, in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine. |
| Posted by:Fred |