Kiev resumes military operation in eastern Ukraine

The interim government in Kiev re-launched on Wednesday its “anti-terrorist operation” in the eastern regions of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Donetsk and Lugansk.

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema said the interim government has “obtained the support of the United States” against what Kiev calls the Russian aggression.

Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov ordered the relaunch on Tuesday after a politician from the acting president’s Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party was found dead near the eastern city of Slavyansk.

The operation against pro-Russian protesters in the east was suspended during the Easter holidays and a Geneva agreement signed last week by Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union.

The Geneva deal was reached on April 17 and meant to ease tensions between the Kiev government and protesters in the east.

However, tensions have remained high, with the Kiev government blaming Russia for escalating the situation.

Russia has rejected the accusations that it was behind the outbreak of violence in eastern Ukraine and that it has failed to meet its commitments based on the Geneva deal.

Pro-Russian demonstrators have so far refused to recognize the Geneva accord, with their leaders renewing calls for local referendums on independence.

Tensions between Western powers and Moscow heightened after the Crimean territory declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of Russia following a referendum on March 16, in which almost 97 percent of the participants voted for rejoining the Russian Federation, with a turnout of over 83 percent.