KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Ukrainian troops have reportedly fired mortars against federalists as the crackdown resumed overnight outside the rebellious city of Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine, according to a local Irta-Fax news portal.
“According to eye-witness reports, they are using mortars. Battles are fought on several fronts,” the news service said Monday.
Irta-Fax said gunshots had been heard Sunday night near a checkpoint on the road to Andreevka, a village on the outskirts of Slaviansk. Locals reported a group of T-34 tanks trailed by large cannons coming towards Slaviansk from the direction of Nikolskoe.
A fire exchange has also broken out near the Zevskeramika ceramic factory in Andreevka.
A new round of skirmishes and heavy machine gunfire was reported in the area Sunday amid a snap presidential election across Ukraine. A source in Slaviansk told RIA Novosti yesterday the Ukrainian army had resumed the shelling of the city from the mountain of Karachun controlled by the forces loyal to Kiev.
On Saturday, it was reported that the Ukrainian army began to build up forces near Slaviansk.
The election in Ukraine ran off against a backdrop of a deep political chasm and a massive military crackdown on the country’s east that has killed scores of civilians.
A total of 21 candidates ran for president. The central elections commission is still counting the returns, but billionaire confectionary tycoon Petro Poroshenko is largely predicted to win the poll. He has secured already 54.56 percent of votes against over 55 percent predicted by exit polls.
