Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to continue Kyiv's military offensive against pro-Russian separatists.
Calling the capture of Slovyansk a major "turning point," Poroshenko ordered Ukrainian forces to push on with their offensive against pro-Russian separatists in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
"My order is now in effect - tighten the ring around the terrorists," Poroshenko tweeted on July 6.
Fresh off its retaking of the large cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Heletey said on July 6 that Ukrainian forces were also in control of Artyomovsk and Druzhkovka, previously held by the rebels.
Separatist leader Pavel Gubarev declared the militants would answer the offensive by government troops by starting a "partisan" war in the city of Donetsk, where many of the rebels are believed to have regrouped.