The recently elected Ukrainian president has threatened to go on the attack against pro-Russian separatists after announcing the end to a unilateral cease-fire with the rebels.
Speaking on Monday, Petro Poroshenko said in a statement the cease-fire was ending on Monday night, adding ominously that "we will attack and we will free our country".
AP reported that Poroshenko’s gesture was intended to push the separatists to disarm, a move the rebels, who control several border crossings between Ukraine and Russia, did not make.
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Ukraine Battles Separatist Rebels
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Local citizens gather around a burning military vehicle at the site of a battle between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian fighters in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (credit:AP)
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A man rides a bicycle as he passes the site of a battle between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian fighters in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian troops stand on top of vehicles as they leave a site of a battle in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (credit:AP)
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Fighters of the Social Nationalist Assembly (SNA), part of the ultra-nationalist Right Sector party, stand guard during a rally of Maidan activists at Independence Square in Kiev on June 15, 2014, to pay homage to the 49 Ukrainian troops killed when pro-Kremlin rebels downed their military plane. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Ukrainian troops detain men near fighting in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Osman Karimov, pool) (credit:AP)
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A man climbs on top of a military vehicle near the site of battles between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian fighters in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian troops escort men who have been detained onto a bus in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Osman Karimov, pool) (credit:AP)
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A Ukrainian soldier shoots his machine gun during a battle with pro-Russian separatist fighters in Slovyansk, Ukraine, on Friday, June 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian soldiers move into position during a battle with pro-Russian separatist fighters outside Slovyansk, Ukraine, on Thursday, June 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian soldiers take position during a battle with pro-Russian separatist fighters in Slovyansk, Ukraine, on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:AP)
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Ukrainian firefighters work on extinguishing a fire at the local sports hall in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on May 27, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A woman looks at her building destroyed in battles between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists near the international airport in Donetsk on May 27, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A Ukrainian man stands in front of a destroyed truck, which was previously used by pro-Russian militants and which was bombed by Ukrainian army soldiers overnight during clashes, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on May 27, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian separatist fighters take position outside the Donetsk airport, the scene of battles between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, on May 26, 2014. (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Black smoke billows from Donetsk international airport, seen behind a cemetery, during heavy gun battles between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian militants in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A man carries a dog as he walks away from an area near Donetsk international airport during heavy gun battles between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian militants in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian militants take position during combat with Ukrainian troops at the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A pro-Russian militant with holds a rocket launcher during combat with Ukrainian troops at the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Black smoke billows from Donetsk international airport, seen behind a cemetery, during heavy gun battles between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian militants in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A Christian Orthodox priest holds a service as pro-Russian militants pray in the village of Senyonovka, near the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, on May 26, 2014. (VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A helicopter flies low over the Donetsk airport, the scene of hours-long battles between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, on May 26, 2014. (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A pro-Russian militant with a rocket launcher guards a checkpoint in the village of Senyonovka, near the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, on May 26, 2014. (VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A pro-Russian militant stands before a van seized by separatists from the Ukrainian Privat Bank, to drive to a checkpoint in the village of Senyonovka, near the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, on May 26, 2014. (VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian fighters take position behind trees during clashes with Ukrainian forces near the airport in Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Journalists run from fighting outside Donetsk airport on May 26, 2014. (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A pro-Russian fighter (L) takes position behind a tree during clashes against Ukrainian forces near the airport in Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Armed pro-Russian militants ride on a truck to the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk during combat with Ukrainian troops on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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An armed pro-Russian militant takes position in the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian militants take position on the roof of the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russia militants take position in the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian militants take position in the international airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on May 26, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Ukrainian troops drive in Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) through a small village bordering the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, some 40 kilometers south of Izyum, on May 25, 2014. (GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A Pro-Russian militant smokes a cigarette during a briefing at a check-point on the road between Donetsk and Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on May 25, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian militants listen to instructions during a briefing at a check-point, on the road between Donetsk and Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on May 25, 2014. (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A Ukrainian soldier cleans a cartridge belt for his machine-gun at a checkpoint on the road between Izyum to Slavyansk on May 25, 2014. (GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russian militants ride on an APC decorated with the Russian flag after Donetsk's separatist referendum, May 25, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Ukrainian soldiers check a passing vehicle as they stand guard at a checkpoint outside of Slavyansk, on May 25, 2014. (GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Pro-Russia militants shoot their weapons during their parade after Donetsk's separatist referendum, May 25, 2014. (Alexander KHUDOTEPLY/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)