Ukrainian helicopters shot down over Slavyansk – live updates

• Separatists in Slavyansk say they will not surrender
• Two helicopter pilots killed
• Pro-Russians take over railway control centre in Donetsk
• Talks over OSCE hostages reach critical stage Germany says
• Ukraine brings in conscription to combat gains by separatists

12.33pm BST

Mike Giglio, a BuzzFeed reporter who was taken at a checkpoint near Konstantinovka, has also been released.

All the journalists and crew taken with me, including my brave translator Lena, are released and safely back in Donetsk as well.
— Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014

12.31pm BST

Christopher Miller, editor of Kiev Post, has a picture purportedly showing men suspected of shooting at a Ukrainian helicopter.

4 insurgents in #Sloviansk detained, suspected of shooting at #Ukraine military helicopter http://t.co/HwifP8NlW0 pic.twitter.com/7OBzVcg8oe
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 2, 2014

12.21pm BST

Clarissa Ward from CBS News tweets following the release of her and her crew after being seized by pro-Russian separatists at a checkpoint in Slavyansk.

One of our crew was beaten but we are all ok. Thanks for concern
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) May 2, 2014

Updated at 12.23pm BST

12.17pm BST

The Russian foreign ministry has called on the west to give up its "destructive" policy on Ukraine and has urged Kiev to stop its "punitive operation" in the east, reports Reuters. "This will allow a real process of de-escalation to begin," the ministry said in a statement. Russia said the west was effectively preventing a peaceful resolution to the crisis by backing Kiev.

12.01pm BST

Summary

Here's a summary of the latest developments:

• Ukraine launched a military assault on pro-Russian forces in the eastern city of Slavyansk. Troops from Kiev seized control of nine checkpoints in an early morning assault, but have not advanced further into Slavyansk.

• Pro-Russian forces shot down two Ukrainian helicopters, killing two pilots, both sides have said. At least one pro-Russian insurgent was also killed. Ukraine's security service claimed the shooting down of a helicopter by anti-aircraft fire showed that "foreign experts" are fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists

• The Kremlin accused Ukraine of destroying any hope of success of last month's Geneva peace agreement. It said Ukraine was using air power against a civilian population.

• The separatist-appointed mayor of Slavyansk, has vowed that his men will not surrender. Vyacheslav Ponomarev said unspecified "help" was on its way.

• Pro-Russian separatists have taken over the control centre for Donetsk railways, all but stopping trains from running. A spokesman for the Donetsk railway said the rebels had seized the command post near Yasynuvata, just north of Donetsk, and had cut all electricity.

• Efforts to free a group of international observers held by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have reached a critical phase, according to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Meanwhile, a CBS journalist and her crew were briefly help in Slavyansk.

• Kiev has announced that Ukraine is bringing back military conscription to help counter a growing pro-Russia insurgency in the east of the country. The announcement came after pro-Russia separatists stormed another key public building in Donetsk on Thursday, forcing the surrender of riot police trapped inside, in the latest humiliation for the Kiev government.

• Ukraine is at risk of a prolonged recession and may need an extension of its $17bn bailout should tensions with Russia and unrest in the east of the country escalate, the International Monetary Fund has warned. The IMF approved the emergency funding package after Kiev agreed to a sweeping economic reform programme designed to reduce the deficit and promote greater financial stability.

Updated at 12.05pm BST

11.39am BST

CBS reporter Clarissa Ward says she has been freed after reports that she was seized at a checkpoint in Slavyansk.

We've been released.
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) May 2, 2014

There has been no more word on the fate of other journalists reportedly taken.

11.36am BST

In a new video message Vyacheslav Ponomarev, the separatist-appointed mayor of Slavyansk, has vowed that his men will not surrender and that "help" is on its way, according to journalist Maxim Eristavi.

#Slovyansk separatist leader: "We will no surrender. A lot of people are coming to help us" https://t.co/ka1cHRpzmt pic.twitter.com/Glsj1JIGMe
— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) May 2, 2014

Updated at 11.38am BST

11.29am BST

The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of using air power against a civilian population, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian soldiers stay near of a checkpoint seized by them not far of Slavyansk, Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry said that two crew members were killed and an unspecified number of soldiers were injured after separatists shot down two Mi-24 assault helicopters with surface-to-air missiles. A third, Mi-8 transport helicopter, was hit by bullets but escaped unharmed, the ministry said. Photograph: Roman Pilipey/EPA

11.10am BST

Hostage negotiations reach critical stage

Efforts to free a group of international observers held by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have reached a critical phase, according to the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
AFP reports:

Speaking to reporters after talks with Swiss counterpart Didier Burkhalter, Steinmeier said he could not elaborate on efforts to free the men, given the "highly sensitive stage of the ongoing negotiations".
Neutral Switzerland is currently at the helm of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent the observers to Ukraine to monitor a peace deal reached in Geneva last month that has been rejected by the pro-Russian rebels.
The Swiss government has been striving to defuse the Ukraine crisis, which has raised Western tensions with Russia to their sharpest since the Cold War.
"Our goal is the unconditional release of the hostages in Slavyansk," said Burkhalter.
Eight OSCE observers, four of whom are Germans, were captured last Friday in the flashpoint town of Slavyansk in mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.
They were presented to the media Sunday as "prisoners of war" in what Germany said was a "repugnant" display.
Berlin has been pushing Russian President Vladimir Putin to persuade the pro-Moscow rebels to free the observers.
One of the hostages, a Swede who was said to suffer from diabetes, was freed late Sunday, but the Germans, a Pole, a Dane and a Czech remain in custody.
The rebels also captured four Ukrainian OSCE representatives, but they have not been seen in public since.
Steinmeier called the Ukraine crisis a "huge challenge for all concerned", saying clashes Friday showed the violence in the embattled country was far from over.
Burkhalter said there were plans to launch a new drive to resolve the crisis and that high-level contacts were under way, but did not elaborate.

Updated at 11.52am BST

11.07am BST

Four men suspected of shooting down one of the helicopters with an anti-aircraft weapon have been arrested, according to Ukraine's Pravda, citing the Ministry of Defence.
It has photographs purporting to show the four hooded suspects face down on a dirt street with hands bound in plastic cuffs.

10.52am BST

Separatists seize Donetsk railway control centre

Pro-Russian separatists have seized the control centre for Donetsk railways, all but stopping trains from running, a spokesman for the Donetsk railway said, according to Reuters.

The rebels had seized the command post near Yasynuvata, just north of Donetsk, and had cut all electricity, a spokesman for the Donetsk railway said. "Movement has all but stopped."
On Thursday separatists took over the offices of the prosecutors office in Donetsk, as the Independent's Kim Sengupta reported:

By late afternoon the takeover of the prosecutor’s office in Donetsk was complete. ‘Heavies’ in balaclavas and combat kits began easing out the exuberant and mainly young mob who had stormed the building; the leaders began shouting orders for an inventory to be made of what was inside. “Not one more piece of paper or anything from a computer leaves this place. Same with the uniforms, we will be needing them” snapped a man we later learned was called Nicolai, as he looked around with distaste at the broken doors and smashed furniture. “What they don’t understand is that this is the peoples’ property now.”
The takeover of the building was a significant victory for the separatists who had already been holding the regional administration offices for weeks, as well as having effective control of a number of other state institutions. The Peoples’ Republic of Donetsk was quick to seize on the symbolism of this triumph taking place on May Day; a day where a vast crowd had roared out their rejection of Ukraine and loyalty to Russia and the Donbass.

10.43am BST

Putin's office says attack destroys Geneva deal

Ukraine's action against Slavyansk has destroyed the last hope of the Geneva agreement, according to a statement from the office of Vladimir Putin.
RIA Novosti, quotes Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying: "While Russia is making efforts to de-escalate and resolve the conflict, Kiev launched a punitive operation, effectively destroying the last hope for the viability of the Geneva agreements."

10.35am BST

More unverified footage has emerged purporting to show an injured Ukrainian helicopter pilot being led away by pro-Russian forces in Slavyansk.