Rebels abandon Sloviansk stronghold in Ukraine: Report

Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine have fled from their eastern stronghold of Sloviansk amid a military offensive, BBC reported Saturday citing rebel sources.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered the military to hoist the country's flag over the city council building.

Earlier in the day, the Pro-Russian militants had denied reports of fleeing.

The denial came a day after the country's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov posted on his Facebook page that a large number of pro-Russian militants had left their base in Sloviansk.

He also said the military commander of the self-declared Donetsk Peoples' Republic (DPR), Igor Strelkov, was among those leaving, but it was not confirmed.

In response, a DPR spokesperson denied that the militants had left Sloviansk.

Poroshenko Friday expressed his readiness to return to a ceasefire provided it was observed by both sides, all hostages were freed and borders secured by government forces.