Ukraine Orders Relaunch Of Military Operations Against Pro-Russian

Ukraine’s acting president has ordered the relaunch of military operations against pro-Russian militants in the east after two men, one a local politician, were “tortured to death”. Oleksandr Turchynov said the body of politician Vladimir Rybak was found near rebel-held Sloviansk. “The terrorists who effectively took the whole Donetsk region hostage have now gone too far,” he said. The move came as US Vice-President Joe Biden was visiting Ukraine. As he met Ukrainian leaders in Kiev, Biden called on Russia to “stop talking and start acting” to defuse the Ukraine crisis. The US and the West accuse Russia of using undercover military to back separatists in eastern Ukraine, where public buildings are occupied in at least nine cities and towns. Russia denies involvement. Biden warned Russia that further “provocative behaviour” would lead to “greater isolation” and urged Moscow to end its alleged support for pro-Russian militants. In remarks to Ukrainian MPs, Biden said the US stood with Ukraine’s new leaders against “humiliating threats” – an apparent reference to Russia. The vice-president called on Moscow to urge the pro-Russian separatists to leave the buildings they are occupying and to abandon checkpoints. The US is to provide an additional $50m (£30m) for political and economic reforms in Ukraine, including $11m to help run the presidential election due on May 25. In another US move, Washington is sending 600 troops to take part in Nato exercises in the three Baltic states and Poland. A defence department spokesman said the decision was designed to show a strong commitment to the alliance as events unfolded in Ukraine. Punch.