Ukrainsk An-26 skutt ned

An-26 et sted i Vest Sahara 2004 - Foto Per Gram

Kiev: A Ukrainian plane was shot down as fighting continued in the east of the country today, amid signs the government was losing control of parts of its border with Russia.

A police officer was killed and two others injured in the attack near the separatist stronghold of Slavyansk by pro-Russian rebels who launched a mortar attack on a checkpoint after taking up position in a church, deputy interior minister Serhiy Yarovy said.

Also near Slavyansk today, separatists shot down an An-26 military transport plane, a spokesman of the Ukrainian army was quoted as telling local media.
The aircraft was carrying humanitarian aid to the local population, Vladislav Seleznyov said according to Interfax Ukraine agency.

The military spokesman was not able to account for the fate of the crew, but Interfax Ukraine quoted witnesses as saying they had managed to eject from the plane before it crashed. The size of the crew was not immediately clear.