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Update
From reports, it seems the offensive by Ukrainian forces against pro-Russian separatists who took over the Donetsk airport earlier today was successful.
After fighting that lasted into a rainy evening, the military appeared to have evicted the separatists from the airport, cordoning off the area with roadblocks. The airport remained closed."
If true, this is a huge boon for Ukrainian President Poroshenko, who just 24 hours ago was declaring victory in the Ukraine's first elections since the ouster of former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych just three months ago.
Original Post
Pro-Russian forces wasted no time in seizing a major airport in eastern Ukraine just hours after billionaire candy tycoon Petro Poroshenko was elected president.
Congratulations to Petro Poroshenko, newly elected President of most of #Ukraine.
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) May 26, 2014Poroshenko immediately ordered a major offensive to take the airport back.
Monday's rapid military response to separatists who seized the airport in Donetsk appeared to be a defiant answer to Moscow, which said it was ready for dialogue with Poroshenko but demanded he scale back the armed forces' campaign in the east."
Poroshenko gave a particularly muscular acceptance speech after he was declared the new president yesterday, declaring that he would root out "terrorist" forces in eastern Ukraine and bring Ukraine closer to the European Union.
