AKIPRESS.COM - Protesters in Ukraine's east braced on Wednesday for a renewed military offensive by Kiev as U.S. troops headed to the region in a show of force after Washington again warned Moscow over the escalating crisis, China Daily reported.

The United States said it plans to deploy 600 troops to Poland and the Baltic states to “reassure allies and partners” after threatening Russia with more sanctions.

Ukrainian acting President Oleksandr Turchynov ordered late on Tuesday a new “anti-terrorist” operation against protesters holding a string of eastern towns after the discovery of two “brutally tortured” bodies.

One of the dead was a local politician from Turchynov's party who was kidnapped nearly a week ago, the leader said, blaming his death on the protesters.

Kiev's offensive threatens to sound the final death knell for an already tattered agreement struck last week in Geneva between Ukraine, Russia and the West to ease the crisis, which some fear could tip the country into civil war.

In the eastern Ukrainian town of Sloviansk, a tense flashpoint town near where the two bodies were found, the streets were calm, with locals walking about as usual.

On Tuesday, a Ukrainian reconnaissance plane was hit by small-arms fire from the town, but the aircraft landed safely with none of its crew hurt.