Ukraine's government said it would quickly seize more territory from pro-Russian separatists after re-taking their stronghold of Slaviansk in what President Petro Poroshenko called a turning point in the fight for control of the country's east, according to The Associated Press.
"My order is now in effect - tighten the ring around the terrorists," Poroshenko tweeted on Sunday, the AP reported.
"Continue the operation to liberate Donetsk and Luhansk regions," he said, naming Ukraine's two major eastern parts which have boiled with separatist rebellion since April, according to the AP.
There were no immediate figures for casualties caused by the government offensive in Slaviansk, launched after Poroshenko refused to renew a unilateral ceasefire and ordered the resumption of a government offensive on June 30, the AP reported.
Under rebel commander Igor Strelkov, a Muscovite declared defence minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Slaviansk had put up some of the fiercest resistance to Ukrainian forces, bringing down at least three military helicopters and one Antonov-30 intelligence plane, according to the AP.
Slaviansk's re-capture represents Kiev's most notable military victory in three months of fighting in which more than 200 Ukrainian troops have been killed as well as hundreds of civilians and rebels, the AP reported.
"This is not full victory. But the clearing out of people armed to the teeth from Slaviansk has huge symbolic importance. It is the beginning of the turning point in the battle with fighters for the territorial integrity of Ukraine," said Poroshenko, according to the AP. He added hostages held there by the separatists had been released and a significant number of weapons had been seized.
