Ukraine crisis: Sloviansk rebels down army helicopters Pro-Russian rebels have shot down two of Ukraines army helicopters during an anti-terror operation in the eastern city of Sloviansk, Kiev says. Ukraines military said a pilot and serviceman were killed and nine rebel checkpoints seized. However, separatists at three Sloviansk checkpoints told the BBC they were still in control there. Russia says Kievs actions killed the last hope for a deal agreed last month in Geneva aimed at defusing the crisis. President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov also described Ukraines operation as punitive. And Mr Peskov said that contact had been lost with Russian envoy Vladimir Lukin sent to the south-eastern Ukraine. Russias foreign ministry earlier warned that any assaults by Ukraines troops in the region would have catastrophic consequences, triggering fears of an invasion by Moscow. Separately, reports are coming that several foreign journalists have been detained in Sloviansk. Sloviansk is a stronghold for pro-Russian separatists who are exerting increasing control in the region. Full combat alert In a statement on Friday , Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the active phase of the operation began at 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT).
Posted on: Fri, 02 May 2014 10:05:03 +0000
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