Ukraine rebels threaten another Stalingrad in Slovyansk

Ukraine's rebels today said they were ready to turn their eastern stronghold of Slovyansk into another ''Stalingrad'' if it was stormed by government troops that regarded them as Russian-backed terrorists.

The Irish Times quoted the militants' spokeswoman, Stella Khorosheva as saying the militants would defend themselves to their last drop of blood. She added the militants were ready to repeat Stalingrad.

The comments came after Ukrainian special forces killed several rebels at checkpoints near Slovyansk yesterday.

The World War II battle of Stalingrad took a toll of over 1.5 million Soviet and German soldiers and such rhetoric was common among anti-government activists in Ukraine with the approach of the traditional 9 May Victory Day celebration of the defeat of the Nazis at the hands of the Red Army.

According to Moscow and the militants, Ukraine's pro-EU authorities were backed by Russian-hating fascists, who would use violence to subjugate eastern areas of the country that were geographically and culturally close to Russia and predominantly spoke Russian.

Church bells rang in Slovyansk last morning warning of the first foray of Ukrainian forces into the outskirts of the city, prompting guards manning barricades of old tyres to set them alight and try to make their escape, but according to officials five were killed, while the rebels said two of their men died.

Meanwhile, western diplomats have run out of ways to voice their anger against Russian president Vladimir Putin, and want him to change his threatening behaviour towards Ukraine, The Globe and Mail reported.

Their words have not proved to be effective as, Eastern Europe continues to drift closer to the kind of conflict it thought it had left behind in the 20th century.

Meanwhile, Ukranian forces retreated shortly after Putin warned at a forum in St Petersburg that he would see any use of Ukraine's army against the separatists as a ''serious crime.'' Interim Ukrainian president Oleksandr Turchynov later vowed to continue the ''anti-terrorist operation'' in eastern Ukraine.

Canada and Poland had been among Ukraine's staunchest allies throughout the months-old crisis, with the two countries swiftest and loudest in denouncing Putin. They are also among the keenest supporters of economic sanctions and other measures targeting the Kremlin.