Kiev, June 19 (IANS): Ukrainian forces Thursday attacked pro-Russia rebels in the country's eastern region after they refused to surrender under President Petro Poroshenko's peace plan, a British daily reported.
Kiev's "anti-terrorist operation" to take back the Donetsk and Lugansk regions gave a three-hour ultimatum to the rebels to give up their arms, the Guardian quoted government spokesperson Vladislav Seleznyov as saying.
But with no response, government forces attacked Krasny Liman and several other cities, Seleznyov added.
"You will all be destroyed! There will be no further warnings!" read the leaflets dropped in the rebel-held regions.
A separate leaflet for peaceful citizens in the city of Krasny Liman warned that "fighters plan to hide behind your backs" and told them to leave the city.
The fresh assaults came as NATO said Russia had resumed a miltary build-up near Ukraine. NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rassmussen, described it as "a very regrettable step backward". He said it appeared Moscow wanted to keep the option to intevene.
Poroshenko Wednesday announced a peace plan, which was intended to begin with a one-sided ceasefire followed by the disarming of "illegal military formations". His statement followed a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Kiev has accused of fomenting the conflict in the east.