Ukraine unrest: 49 killed as pro-Russian rebels shoot down army plane in Luhansk, defence ministry says
Up to 49 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed after pro-Russian rebels shot down a cargo plane over the airport of the eastern city of Luhansk.
The defence ministry says the separatists fired on the military transport aircraft IL-76, which was carrying troops and supplies, with a large-calibre machine gun.
"On the night of June 13-14, the terrorists ... fired from an anti-aircraft weapon and a large calibre machine gun, shooting down military transport aircraft ... as it was about to land," the ministry said in a statement.
Military spokesman Vladislav Seleznov said it appeared 49 troops had been killed.
"This is our preliminary information," he said. "Details about how many people were on board are still being checked."
The toll would be the biggest suffered by government forces in a single incident since Kiev started a military operation to try to defeat the insurgency in east Ukraine, which the rebels want to be part of Russia.
The attack came as video footage emerged showing Russian tanks equipped with heavy weapons and rocket launchers moving through multiple cities in eastern Ukraine.
US state department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the US had "information that Russia has accumulated tanks of a type no longer used by Russian forces".
"We assess that separatists in eastern Ukraine have acquired heavy weapons and military equipment from Russia, including Russian tanks and multiple rocket launchers," she said in a statement.
Ukraine alleged on Thursday that three tanks had crossed from Russia into its territory, underscoring the growing tensions between Kiev and Moscow.
Moscow has denied the allegation, earlier raised by Ukrainian interior minister Arsen Avakov, who stopped short of accusing Russia of being behind the reported incursion.
The defence ministry says the separatists fired on the military transport aircraft IL-76, which was carrying troops and supplies, with a large-calibre machine gun.
"On the night of June 13-14, the terrorists ... fired from an anti-aircraft weapon and a large calibre machine gun, shooting down military transport aircraft ... as it was about to land," the ministry said in a statement.
Military spokesman Vladislav Seleznov said it appeared 49 troops had been killed.
"This is our preliminary information," he said. "Details about how many people were on board are still being checked."
The toll would be the biggest suffered by government forces in a single incident since Kiev started a military operation to try to defeat the insurgency in east Ukraine, which the rebels want to be part of Russia.
The attack came as video footage emerged showing Russian tanks equipped with heavy weapons and rocket launchers moving through multiple cities in eastern Ukraine.
US state department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the US had "information that Russia has accumulated tanks of a type no longer used by Russian forces".
"We assess that separatists in eastern Ukraine have acquired heavy weapons and military equipment from Russia, including Russian tanks and multiple rocket launchers," she said in a statement.
Ukraine alleged on Thursday that three tanks had crossed from Russia into its territory, underscoring the growing tensions between Kiev and Moscow.
Moscow has denied the allegation, earlier raised by Ukrainian interior minister Arsen Avakov, who stopped short of accusing Russia of being behind the reported incursion.