Ukraine steps up offensive as world powers meet for crisis talks

(MENAFN- Arab News) Netsk ukraine: ukrainian troops tightened a security cordon around a major insurgent-held eastern city tuesday but pro-russia militia acted with impunity elsewhere in the turbulent region bordering russia surrounding a major interior ministry base.thirty pro-russia insurgents and four government troops were killed monday in operations to expunge anti-government forces around the city of slovyansk ukraine's interior minister reported tuesday. rebels said 10 people — fighters and civilians — were killed by ukrainian troops during clashes monday. they would not elaborate and there was no immediate way to reconcile the figures.gunbattles on monday around the city of 125000 were the interim government's most ambitious effort to date to quell weeks of unrest in ukraine's mainly russian-speaking east.in the southwest kiev authorities also attempted to reassert control over the key black sea region of odessa by appointing a new governor there tuesday.this nation of 46 million is facing its worst crisis in decades after its moscow-leaning president whose base was in the east fled to russia in february following months of protests. ukraine's eastern regions where armed insurgents have seized dozens of government buildings and police stations in recent weeks are now at odds with western and central ukraine which seek closer ties with europe and largely back the government in kiev.interior minister arsen avakov gave the death toll on his facebook page tuesday adding that 20 government troops were also injured during fighting in slovyansk. he said about 800 pro-russia forces in and around slovyansk were deploying large-caliber weapons and mortars monday.by tuesday morning ukrainian forces had taken hold of a key checkpoint north of the city dealing a blow to insurgent lines of communication.in donetsk a major city 120 kilometers south of slovyansk the airport was closed during the day to international flights following a government order but reopened later.in the afternoon about 30 pro-russia militants armed with automatic rifles and grenade launchers surrounded an interior ministry base in donetsk demanding that the troops inside not join any government operations against pro-russia forces. while it was unclear whether they would attack besieging a government forces base marked an uptick in the offensive of the militants who previously had focused on seizing police stations and government buildings.in the southwest kiev authorities announced tuesday they were firing the acting governor in odessa and replacing him with member of parliament ihor palytsya. odessa's police chief was also fired over the weekend.the move over the predominantly russian-speaking region came after 46 people died friday many in a building fire after a pro-ukraine march in odessa turned into a melee of fighting.the concern that odessa could be the next region to fall to pro-russia forces — particularly after 67 people detained in friday's rioting were released by police sunday under pressure from an angry crowd — has sparked concern in kiev.opposing sides of the ukraine conflict have traded bitter recriminations over the odessa deaths. as residents gathered on tuesday to lay flowers near the building they remained confused about exactly what caused the fire and suspicious of the police forces who for whatever reason did not stop the bloodshed.