Russia and Ukraine closer to all-out war after 40 die in rebel-held city as British warplanes assemble on Putin's border

Day of intense fighting as army attempts to take back seized city Slaviansk

Ukraine acting president said: 'Criminals received big losses during the operation: many were killed, wounded and arrested'



Two helicopters shot down over Slaviansk, which was overrun by rebels

One shot down by missile - killing its pilot and a serviceman - while the other forced to land under heavy attack

Ukraine army arrested four suspected of bringing down helicopters

Suspects heads covered in black bags and hands tied behind back



Putin says the offensive 'effectively destroyed the last hope' of peace deal

Phillip Hammond arrives in Lithuania to meet troops and Typhoon jets

Meanwhile Russia deploys attack helicopters to borders with Baltic states



Around 300 pro-Kremlin activists storm prosecutor's office in Donetsk

Guard of 100 police officers attacked with rocks and Molotov cocktails





Russia and Ukraine inched closer to war yesterday after ‘many’ pro-Moscow separatists were killed during a major military offensive to seize back a rebel-held city.

As fighting flared in the east of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin said the operation had ‘destroyed’ any hopes of peace.

The Kremlin said Kiev’s decision to deploy the army against its own people was a ‘catastrophe’ and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

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As the fighting worsened, dozens of people had to be evacuated from a burning building in the Southern Port City of Odessa

At least 38 people were killed in the blaze that destroyed the trade union building in Odessa

Despite the loss of life caused by fire, Ukrainian protesters prepare Molotov cocktails for their running clashes with pro-Russian activists

On a day of dramatic developments in the crisis:

Ukraine’s acting president Oleksandr Turchynov said the militants suffered ‘heavy losses’ in the anti-terror operation;

Separatists shot down two army helicopters with missiles, killing both pilots;

Women and children stood in front of Ukrainian tanks in protest at the offensive;

Moscow said ‘English-speaking’ mercenaries were deployed against pro-Russian forces, claiming this proved US involvement in the mission;

Military sources said Russia had deployed military helicopters to its border with Latvia and Estonia.

An RAF pilot prepares to board his Typhoon aircraft at the Siauliai Air Force base in Lithuania

The four Typhoon aircraft have been stationed to assist with the unstable situation

The RAF Typhoon aircraft has been scrambled from its temporary base in Lithuania

A protestor walks past a pro-Russian tent camp which was set alight during clashes with Ukrainian nationalists

As the violence intensifies, Ukrainian nationalists set fire to a tent camp of pro-Russian activists

A pro Russian supporter is carried by his comrades after he was injured in running clashes with Ukrainians in Odessa

The crisis plunged closer to all-out conflict after government special forces launched a major ‘anti-terrorist’ drive to snatch back the key eastern city of Sloviansk.

Mr Turchynov said: ‘The criminals suffered heavy losses – many were killed, wounded and taken prisoner.’

But the operation in the rebel-held city was not going as quickly as hoped, he said on TV, and was ‘greatly complicated’ by the conflict taking place in population centres.

Mr Turchynov said two Ukrainian army personnel were killed in the fighting and accused pro-Russian forces of hiding behind civilians and hostages. He urged the Russian president to ‘stop threats and intimidation’ amid widespread belief that the Kremlin is supporting the militants.

Even the police have been injured while attempting to prevent the rival protesters from clashing

In ominous scenes, a pro-Russian activist takes aim with a revolver in Odessa, southern Ukraine

Ukraine: On the brink of all-out war with Russia

Arrested: Ukrainian military arrest the four men believed responsible for shooting down two helicopters, killing one pilot and a serviceman in the resulting crash The helicopter's pilot - who was injured in the crash - is carried away by pro-Russian rebels, but is said to be safe and recovering from his injuries A Ukrainian military helicopter lands at a checkpoint which troops seized in the early morning in the village of Andreevk



Under fire: A Ukrainian military helicopter lands near a Ukrainian checkpoint near the town of Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine. Two others were today shot down by pro-Russian militants An armed pro-Russian man walks past burning debris at a checkpoint in the southern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk

Missiles: The first gunship was blasted out of the sky with a surface-to-air missile over the city of Slaviansk this morning, Ukraine's Security Service said, while the other was forced to land under heavy attack

Fierce fighting: It comes as Ukrainian forces stormed the city this morning, desperate to flush out militants who have seized a number of government buildings

Armed guard: A Ukrainian soldier looks on at a Ukrainian checkpoint near the eastern town of Slaviansk - a city that has become the focus of the insurgency

In response, a Putin spokesman said the military operation launched by Kiev meant the Geneva agreement to defuse the crisis was no longer viable.

‘At the same time that Russia is taking pains to de-escalate and regulate the conflict, the Kiev regime has begun shooting up peaceful towns with military helicopters and has started a punitive operation, essentially destroying the last hope for the viability of the Geneva agreement,’ said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

TV footage from Sloviansk showed several members of the Ukrainian forces bloodied and being given medical aid while behind them barricades blazed.

Up to 50 hostages are being held in the city, including six Western monitors seized more than a week ago.

Nine checkpoints were said to have been taken by Ukraine command forces on roads into the city as troops prepared to move against heavily armed forces holding several state buildings and police stations.

Defiant: An armed pro-Russian rebel walks behind a burning barricade on their checkpoint in Slaviansk

Ready for battle: A Pro-Russian gunman runs behind barricades in Slaviansk. The action came a day after Putin said that Ukraine should withdraw its military from the eastern and southern regions of the country

Waiting: Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops along the Ukrainian border as it warns Ukraine's military not to move against the insurgents in the east

Battle fatigue: Ukrainian soldiers rest near of a checkpoint seized not far from Slaviansk. The Ukrainian Security Service said its forces were fighting 'highly skilled foreign military men' in the city

Fierce resistance: The Ukrainian interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said in a statement that government troops met fierce resistance, but had managed to take control of nine checkpoints on roads around Slovyansk

Separatists launched reprisals by seizing control of the main railway station at Donetsk.

With 40,000 Russian troops and armour on the border there were fears the military offensive could be used as a reason by Mr Putin to order them to cross into Ukraine.

In Odessa, police said more than 40 people had been killed and 50 wounded in clashes between supporters of Kiev and pro-Russian activists.

Meanwhile, Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday warned Russia not to attack Nato nations as RAF fighter jets patrolled the skies over eastern Europe. He urged Mr Putin not to breach a ‘red line’ by making a land grab against increasingly anxious Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia – all members of the defence alliance.

Mr Hammond hinted Britain could send more troops to the area to deter the Kremlin from invading the ex-Soviet states – raising fears the UK will be sucked deeper into the crisis.

Offensive: Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the offensive 'effectively destroyed the last hope for the implementation of the Geneva agreements' which were intended to defuse the crisis