Nine killed as Ukrainian helicopter downed by rebel fire

Rebels shot down a Ukrainian helicopter carrying technicians who had been installing equipment to monitor violations of a peace plan in Ukraine’s rebellious east today, killing all nine people on board.

Military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said the technicians had been returning from setting up specialised equipment when their Mi-8 cargo helicopter was struck by a rebel missile near Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine.

"There were 9 people on board. According to preliminary information ... all those on board were killed," Mr Seleznyov said on his Facebook page. The nine dead included a three-man crew.

“The (rebel) fighters, having fired the rocket, hid in the nearby village of Bylbasovka,” he said.

The incident took place just hours after pro-Russian separatists announced a ceasefire until June 27th to match a week-long truce by government forces which has been ordered by president Petro Poroshenko.

It was the second time a helicopter has been brought down by rebel fire from Slaviansk, a separatist stronghold. On May 30, rebels there also downed a military helicopter killing 14 servicemen, including one general.

Dmytro Tymchuk, a military analyst known to have good sources in the armed forces, said the helicopter had been brought down by a missile fired from a shoulder-held launcher.

The truce announcement last night by separatist leaders had raised the first real prospect of an end to hostilities since the insurgency erupted in the largely Russian-speaking east in April.

But the helicopter incident seemed certain to put the ceasefire on both sides under fresh pressure.

Elsewhere, a rebel spokesman in Donetsk said a shootout broke out near the city’s airport, which is under Ukrainian control. Rebels opened fire on two Ukrainian armoured personnel carriers leaving the grounds of the airport, according to a witness.

Reuters