Ukraine Military Launches Fierce Assault Against Pro-Russian Rebels

UPDATED: 12:05 p.m. ET

DONETSK, Ukraine — Ukraine government forces launched an aggressive assault Monday on pro-Russian separatists who had earlier seized a terminal building in the Donetsk airport

The government forces used airstrikes and helicopters to battle the insurgents, not long after President-elect Petro Peroshenko vowed to take a tougher approach to the armed militants who have seized government buildings in a succession of cities in the Russian-speaking eastern part of the nation

The seizure of the airport posed the first immediate challenge to Poroshenko, coming only a day after his overwhelming victory at the polls. Judging by his words and the government's military response at the Donetsk airport, he intends to take a more aggressive tack against the pro-Russian fighters. Read more...