An airstrike was launched on pro-Russia militants in Ukraine[REUTERS]Fighter jets and military helicopters were seen flying over the airport after a truckload of armed rebels arrived and seized control of it.
An eyewitness said he saw helicopter gunships fire rockets at the glass and concrete terminal.
Ukraine's government began the action, also sending in paratroopers, after a deadline for the militants to lay down their weapons had passed.
The gunmen had seized control of a major airport in Donetsk [AP]Nobody in any civilised state will hold negotiations with terrorists
Denis Pushilin, a separatist leader in Donetsk, said they had sent their men to the airport after some supporters were detained.
The airport serves a city of one million people that the rebels have proclaimed the capital of an independent "people's republic".
They succeeded in blocking all voting in the area in Sunday's election which saw billionaire Petro Poroshenko elected as Ukraine president.
The rebels' attempt to seize the airport may have been intended to prevent Mr Poroshenko from travelling there.
Fighter jets and military helicopters were seen flying over the airport [AP]The 48-year-old said he would not hold talks with "terrorists" and a military campaign in the east should be able to thwart a separatist revolt in "a matter of hours".
He said: "The anti-terrorist operation should not last two or three months. It should last for a matter of hours.
"They want to preserve a bandit state which is held in place by force of arms.
"These are simply bandits. Nobody in any civilised state will hold negotiations with terrorists."
Mr Poroshenko also said he was willing to hold talks with Russia and the offer was quickly welcomed by Moscow.
It has raised the hopes the election will ease the civil unrest that has fuelled tensions unseen since the end of the Cold War.
No comments:
Post a Comment