Rebels shoot down Ukraine Army helicopter

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 says a general was among the dead and that 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.

After his election on Sunday President-elect Petro Poroshenko vowed to step up operations against the rebels.

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.

Mr Rurchynov said General Volodymyr Kulchitsky was among the dead. The helicopter had just taken off after transporting soldiers to a Ukrainian base.

Earlier this month the separatists shot down two army helicopters, also near Sloviansk, killing a pilot and serviceman.
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.

Further clashes have been reported in several areas in recent days – including 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 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.

BBC