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Over 50 Ukrainian Armored Vehicles Rolling Toward Donetsk - Activists

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Pro-federalization activists in Ukraine’s southeastern city of Donetsk say more than 50 military armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Army have been spotted in the region and are now closing on the city.

DONETSK, April 16 (RIA Novosti) - Pro-federalization activists in Ukraine’s southeastern city of Donetsk say more than 50 military armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Army have been spotted in the region and are now closing on the city.

“Fifty six times of various vehicles are underway, including infantry fighting vehicles, personnel carriers and trucks for transporting people. They are moving toward Donetsk. We are getting ready to stop them,” Igor Khakimzyanov, chief of the so-called “people’s army” in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, told RIA Novosti.

Khakimzyanov said that personnel of at least five armored vehicles sent to Kramatorks about 90 km south of Donetsk had switched sides and joined their ranks. This is one vehicle fewer than in earlier reports.

The Ukrainian army started a special operation Tuesday in a crackdown on self-defense activists in eastern Ukraine. The operation targeted the cities of Kramatorsk and Slaviansk in the Donetsk region.

At least four protesters were killed and two others wounded Tuesday as Ukrainian troops stormed an airfield in Kramatorsk, local pro-federalization supporters said. Two others were wounded.

Eastern Ukraine has been swept by rallies beginning last month. Federalization supporters in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slaviansk and Kramatorsk refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and are urging interim authorities to hold referendums similar to the one held in Crimea last month, which led to the republic’s reunification with Russia.

Russia condemned the decision by the new Ukrainian authorities to use force against the federalization supporters, saying it was an extremely unpleasant turn of events.

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