Ukraine tightens grip on eastern town

KIEV: Ukrainian forces tightened their grip on the eastern town of Kramatorsk on Wednesday after securing control over an airfield from pro-Russian separatist militiamen, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to warn of the risk of civil war.
Seven armoured personnel carriers bearing the Ukrainian flag rumbled into the mainly Russian-speaking town in a show of force against Moscow-backed gunmen who have occupied public buildings in 10 eastern towns and cities in the last week.
The attempt by the Kiev government to reassert control slowly without bloodshed came on the eve of four-power talks in Geneva on Thursday at which the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers will meet for the first time in the presence of the United States and the European Union.
Russia, which has refused to recognise Ukraine's pro-Western government since Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted by mass protests in February, sought to dramatise the instability in its neighbour ahead of the crucial meeting.
Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a telephone call late on Tuesday that Kiev had "embarked on an anti-constitutional course" by using the army against the rebels.
"The sharp escalation of the conflict puts the country, in effect, on the brink of civil war," a Kremlin statement quoted him as saying.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking in Vietnam before heading to Geneva for Thursday's talks, said Kiev should listen to what he called the people of Ukraine and avoid force.
"It is unacceptable to use (the armed) forces in the eastern Ukraine," he told reporters in Hanoi.
The Ukrainian government launched what it called a "special operation" on Tuesday against separatist militia in the Russian-speaking East, although aside from a landing by airborne troops the action was limited and avoided casualties.
Soldiers disembarked from two helicopters at the airfield 10km from Kramatorsk, where reporters heard gunfire that seemed to prevent an air force plane from landing.
There was no sign of violence in the area on Wednesday, but civilians watching the armoured vehicles enter the town reflected the sharp political divisions in the mainly Russian-speaking southeastern Donbass region.
A group of about 30 local residents blocked the APCs briefly and tried to prevent them going through, a Reuters witness said. Soldiers dismounted and pushed them away. One shot was fired in the air in a brief scuffle before the vehicles moved on.
The protesters managed to take away one hand-held radio and two rifle magazines from soldiers. – Reuters