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Ukraine army helicopter shot down near Sloviansk | Ukraine army helicopter shot down near Sloviansk |
(35 minutes later) | |
Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have shot down a military helicopter near Sloviansk, killing 14 people, the country's outgoing president says. | Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have shot down a military helicopter near Sloviansk, killing 14 people, the country's outgoing president says. |
Olexander Turchynov said a senior general was among the dead and the rebels used a Russian-made anti-aircraft system. | |
The town of Sloviansk has seen fierce fighting between separatists and government forces in recent weeks. | The town of Sloviansk has seen fierce fighting between separatists and government forces in recent weeks. |
President-elect Petro Poroshenko has vowed to tackle "bandits" in the east. | |
The helicopter was hit during heavy fighting between Sloviansk and Kramatorsk on Thursday after it had dropped off troops at a military base, reports said. | The helicopter was hit during heavy fighting between Sloviansk and Kramatorsk on Thursday after it had dropped off troops at a military base, reports said. |
President Turchchynov said the 14 dead included Gen Serhiy Kulchytskiy, head of combat and special training for Ukraine's National Guard. | |
It is one of the worst losses of life for government forces in the conflict so far. Last week at least 14 soldiers died in a rebel attack on an army checkpoint near Donetsk. | |
Earlier this month the separatists shot down two army helicopters, also near Sloviansk, killing a pilot and another serviceman. | |
The conflict has intensified since Mr Poroshenko was elected on Sunday. | The conflict has intensified since Mr Poroshenko was elected on Sunday. |
The rebels say they lost up to 100 fighters when they tried to seize Donetsk airport, some 130km (80 miles) from Sloviansk on Monday. | The rebels say they lost up to 100 fighters when they tried to seize Donetsk airport, some 130km (80 miles) from Sloviansk on Monday. |
Further clashes have been reported in several areas in recent days, including in Sloviansk where pro-Russia militiamen are holding four international monitors. | |
The four - a Dane, an Estonian, a Turk and a Swiss national - are members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and were seized on Monday. | |
The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, told Russia's Interfax news agency they were safe and well and could be released soon. | The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, told Russia's Interfax news agency they were safe and well and could be released soon. |