On the same day, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that the military had re-taken the Donetsk airport, after a day of heavy gunfire. Avakov said the Ukrainian military, using jets and helicopters, attacked the anti-government fighters and seized control of the building early on Tuesday.

 

The interior minister said there were no casualties on the government side, but that dozens of insurgents may have been killed.

 

The mayor of Donetsk said 40 people including two civilians had been killed in the stand-off on Monday. He urged all residents to stay home. Local morgues were overflowing with bodies and rebel leaders said up to a 100 people may have been killed.