Ukrainian forces launch offensive near Mariupol, east Ukraine - Kiev

Burnt-out vehicles are seen at a residential sector in Mariupol, a city on the Sea of Azov, eastern Ukraine February 3, 2015. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KIEV (Reuters) - The Ukrainian national guard has launched an offensive against pro-Russian separatists near the southeastern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine's security council said in an online statement on Tuesday.

The secretary to the National Security and Defence Council, Oleksander Turchynov, "is near Mariupol, where units of the national guard broke through enemy defences and went on the offensive", the statement said.