given pro-Russian separatists a Monday morning
deadline to disarm or face a "full-scale anti-terrorist
operation" by its armed forces, raising the risk of a
military confrontation with Moscow.
Angered by the death of a state security officer and
the wounding of two comrades near the flashpoint
eastern city of Slaviansk, acting president
Oleksander Turchinov gave rebels occupying state
buildings until 0600 GMT to lay down their
weapons.
"The National Security and Defence Council has
decided to launch a full-scale anti-terrorist
operation involving the armed forces of Ukraine,"
Turchinov said in an address to the nation.
He blamed Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimea
region when Moscow-backed former president
Viktor Yanukovich fled after months of pro-
Western protests, for being behind the rash of
rebellions across Russian-speaking towns in
eastern Ukraine.
"We will not allow Russia to repeat the Crimean
scenario in the eastern regions of Ukraine,"
Turchinov said.
Russia's foreign ministry called the planned military
operation a "criminal order" and said the West
should bring its allies in Ukraine's government
under control.
"It is now the West's responsibility to prevent civil
war in Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement.
A United Nations Security Council diplomat said on condition of anonymity that the council
would meet at 8 p.m. (0100 GMT) in New York at
Russia's request.
Another diplomat said
negotiations were under way on Ukraine's
participation.
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