Ukrainian troops take over Sloviansk from militants

Ukrainian soldiers stand guard in the eastern Ukrainian town of Slaviansk, July 5, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Putin slams Western containment policies

KIEV - Ukrainian troops have regained control over the eastern city of Sloviansk, a stronghold kept by militants for months, the Ukrainian presidential press service said Saturday.

Militants who had come under an overnight mortar fire of the Ukrainian troops "tried to escape" from the city, Chief of the General Staff Viktor Muzhenko reported to President Petro Poroshenko.

Muzhenko added that the intelligence of the Armed Forces and the National Guards "is working" in that city.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Heletey said the national flag had been raised over the city council "in front of the formation of Ukrainian soldiers."

"We started to restore the life of the city," the press service quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, the withdrawal of militants did not mean their resistance had been crushed, a senior representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) told reporters.

"What would you do if you were shelled with mortars and artillery guns and pounded from the air and you had only three tanks and assault rifles?" the Interfax news agency quoted Andrei Purgin, the first deputy prime minister of the DPR, as saying.

Some local reports said the militants were heading for Kramatorsk, a city not far from Slavyansk, and relocate the headquarters there.

Late Monday, Poroshenko announced termination of the ceasefire as the insurgents in the eastern regions had allegedly continued attacks on government troops during the truce, which started from June 21 and later was extended to June 30.