Ukraine uses helicopters and armored vehicles to suppress the rebellion in Slavyansk.

Military experts are concerned that Ukraine's outdated weapons could cause unintended casualties among innocent civilians.

RIA Novosti reported on May 7, citing sources from the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, that Kyiv's security forces are using armored vehicles and armed helicopters to suppress pro-federalization protesters in Slavyansk, a city in eastern Ukraine.

The Interior Ministry statement read: “Anti-terrorism operations are underway in Slavyansk. In this operation, Ukrainian law enforcement forces are using military vehicles and helicopters.”

Ukrainian military helicopter (Photo: RIA Novosti)

A video posted on the official website of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs shows the military vehicles in question as Soviet-era BTR-80 armored vehicles and Mi-24 armed helicopters.

Last month, Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov ordered a special operation to crack down on the wave of support for federalization that has spread in eastern Ukraine since the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian troops surrounded Slavyansk – considered a hotspot of separatist activity in eastern Ukraine – where fierce fighting left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

On April 6, local self-defense forces reported that the Ukrainian army had deployed Grad rocket systems to several key locations around the city in preparation for a large-scale attack. According to military experts, the use of this type of missile would cause very high casualties.

Igor Korotchenko, a leading Russian military expert, told RIA Novosti in an interview that Ukraine's weapons are now outdated and inaccurate, and their use could cause unintended casualties.

In a related development, on May 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had withdrawn its troops from the border region with Ukraine amid Western concerns about the possibility of a Russian invasion of the neighboring country.

Speaking after a meeting with Swiss President and current OSCE head Didier Burkhalter, Putin said: "We are constantly told about concerns regarding the presence of our troops near the border with Ukraine. We have withdrawn our troops. Today they withdrew to their usual training grounds."

According to Putin, direct dialogue between the Kiev government and separatist forces in southeastern Ukraine is key to ending the crisis. He believes that a complete cessation of violence is a necessary condition for holding the next presidential election in Ukraine.

He also affirmed that Russia would do everything possible to resolve the Ukrainian crisis and would choose the "most positive approach" to international peace efforts.

According to VOV