Shattering the night silence, explosions and gunfire rang out early on April 24 in the eastern city of Artemivsk, Donetsk Oblast as armed pro-Russian insurgents attempted to seize a military base that houses some 20 to 30 tanks and a cache of weapons.

Ukrainian forces repelled

the 2 a.m. attack by a group of some 70 to 100 rebels who were armed with

automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, the country’s Ministry

of Defense and Interior

Minister Arsen Avakov reported. Hand grenades were used by the rebels in

the assault, the Defense Ministry said.