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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27250026BBC on Friday 2nd May, 2014 at 09:58 ET wrote:
Ukraine's ( Kiev government's ) anti-terror centre said in a statement that "half of the city" of Sloviansk was under control of its units at 12:00 (noon local Ukraine time - 05:00 ET).
It said pro-Russian gunmen were using snipers and also mobile units dressed in riot police uniforms.
Ukrainian government troops reportedly seized 10 rebel checkpoints
Military helicopters were involved in the "anti-terror" operations.
The rebels claimed they were still in control of some of their checkpoints
Meanwhile, the commander of (all of) Ukraine's ( Kiev government's ) National Guard (units) said his units "practically cleared Sloviansk from terrorists".
Earlier, ( Kiev government's ) Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the "active phase" of the operation in the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk region began at 04:30 local Ukrainian time (21:30 ET Thursday).
"A real battle with professional mercenaries is going on," Mr Avakov said, adding that the separatists were using the tactics of hiding behind civilians in residential buildings.
Russia's state-run Rossiya 24 TV channel said the city was being "stormed".
It quoted Sloviansk's rebel commander Igor Strelkov as saying that the city was completely sealed off.
The fighting appeared to be concentrating on the periphery of the city, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford, who is in the regional capital Donetsk.
In a video posted on YouTube, Sloviansk's self-declared mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov said "our city is under attack".
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