SLAVIANSK, MAY 15 (RIA Novosti) - Machine-gun and artillery bursts were heard on the outskirts of Ukraine's Slaviansk early Thursday morning, according to a RIA Novosti witness.
"The battle is supposedly taking place by a feed-milling plant, artillery shells bursts and machine-gun bursts can be hears, the shooting is intense," the witness said.
On Wednesday, the press secretary of the people’s mayor told RIA Novosti that federalization supporters in Slaviansk intended to move from a defensive to offensive strategy.
Following a regime change in late February, the citizens of the predominantly Russian-speaking southeastern regions of Ukraine, including Slaviansk, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the country’s interim government and called for federalization and referendums on greater autonomy, with rallies sweeping through the region.
Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov ordered the launch of a special operation last month to crack down on pro-federalization protests.
Ukrainian troops encircled Slaviansk in a bid to wrest control from pro-referendum demonstrators and self-defense forces. At least a dozen protesters and civilians have been killed in hostilities in the city so far.
Russia has called the Western-backed military operation against protesters a «punitive act» and accused Ukraine’s authorities of waging a war against their own people.
