DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Russian insurgents driven out of their stronghold in eastern Ukraine are vowing to renew their fight against the government in Kiev.

Thousands of supporters have converged on the city of Donetsk, waving flags from Russia and the Donetsk People’s Republic. The self-described governor of the Donetsk People’s Republic spoke at the rally, promising “a real partisan war” throughout Donetsk and vowing to “drown” Ukrainian forces in blood.

Ukrainian troops forced the rebels out of their stronghold of Slovyansk yesterday, suggesting the government may finally be making gains in the months-long battle against the insurgency.

Rebel fighters from Slovyansk and other towns taken over by the Ukrainian army moved freely around central Donetsk today, but the mood was dire at a rebel checkpoint on the outskirts of the city. One masked fighter says: “We will fight to the end because we have nowhere left to retreat.”

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APPHOTO MOSB121: A woman cries in central square, with the Ukrainian national emblem at right, in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, July 6, 2014. Ukrainian troops on Saturday forced the rebels out of Slovyansk, a city of about 100,000 that had been the center of the fighting. The success there suggests that the government may finally be making gains in the months-long battle against the insurgency. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (6 Jul 2014)

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APPHOTO MOSB119: Ukrainian troops from special purpose battalion Kiev-1 pose for a photo in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, Sunday, July 6, 2014. Ukrainian troops on Saturday forced the rebels out of Slovyansk, a city of about 100,000 that had been the center of the fighting. The success there suggests that the government may finally be making gains in the months-long battle against the insurgency. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (6 Jul 2014)

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APPHOTO XDL101: Women sit near a destroyed shop in the city of Slovyansk, Donetsk Region, eastern Ukraine Saturday, July 5, 2014. By late afternoon on Saturday, Ukrainian troops were fully in control of rebel headquarters in Slovyansk, a city of about 100,000 that has been a center of the fighting between Kiev’s troops and the pro-Russian insurgents. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) (5 Jul 2014)

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APPHOTO XDL124: Local citizen Ludmuila sits near a destroyed shop in the city of Slovyansk, Donetsk Region, eastern Ukraine Saturday, July 5, 2014. By late afternoon on Saturday, Ukrainian troops were fully in control of rebel headquarters in Slovyansk, a city of about 100,000 that has been a center of the fighting between Kiev’s troops and the pro-Russian insurgents. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) (5 Jul 2014)

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