Rockets Kill 30 in Ukrainian City as Rebels Launch Offensive

Indiscriminate rocket fire slammed into a market, schools, homes and shops Saturday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, killing at least 30 people, authorities said. Ukrainian officials rushed to defend the strategically important port city as the separatists' top leader declared that an offensive against it had begun. He later toned down his threats as the scale of civilian casualties became evident. President Petro Poroshenko called an emergency meeting of his military officials and cut short a trip to Saudi Arabia to coordinate the government's response. Military positions in the city were strengthened and forces were being built up, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said. http://yhoo.it/1B6l1sn http://bit.ly/1fJ5yqZ