Ukraine government resumes offensive

Ukraine's government has formally ended an Easter truce and is relaunching the "active phase" of an "anti-terrorist operation" to eliminate armed pro-Russian separatist groups in the east, First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema said on Wednesday.

Yarema, who has a role in security matters, told reporters on the sidelines of a weekly cabinet meeting the new action was not yet underway, but added: "In the near future, appropriate measures will be taken and you will see results."

Speaking a day after Vice President Joe Biden visited Kiev, he added: "We have obtained the support of the United States, that they will not leave us alone with an aggressor. We hope that in the event of Russian aggression, this help will be more substantive."