Ukrainian interior minister reports "intense exchange of fire" near Semenivka and Sloviansk

09:49, 03.06.2014 1 min read

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has announced that the military operation outside the city of Sloviansk is proceeding in an "active offensive phase".

"A very intense exchange of fire is underway. Our armored personnel carriers have been hit by the terrorists' grenade launcher several times near Semenivka. But they have withstood the attack. Well done, instructors!" Avakov said on his Facebook account.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces had destroyed the militants' roadblocks and engineer installations near the village of Semenivka by 0745 a.m., he said.

The interior minister also called on the civilian population of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Krasny Lyman to stay indoors and "refrain from approaching the terrorists' positions" in order to avoid risks to their life.