Ukrainian security forces launched an "anti-terror operation" this morning (Sunday) aimed at removing pro-Russian militants who took over a police station in the city of Sloviansk in the east of the country.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his Facebook page that the Counter-Terrorism Center had dispatched forces from all over Ukraine towards Sloviansk, which is in the Donetsk region.
Authorities announced that a Ukrainian officer was killed and five other commandos were wounded in the attempted takeover. There are also likely casualties among the local militants.
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Military helicopters were seen in the sky of the city, and gunfire was heard in several streets. Residents were ordered not to leave their homes and not to approach the windows.
The United States accuses Moscow of fueling the violent pro-Russian protests in eastern Ukraine, but Russia strongly denies the accusations.
Pro-Russian protesters, armed with weapons, over the weekend took over government buildings in the center of Sloviansk, located about 150 kilometers from the Russian border, and, among other things, occupied the city's police headquarters.
