Ministry of Defence: Two servicemen killed in Slovyansk

A number of servicemen were wounded.

Two Mi-24 helicopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were shot down in Slovyansk on May 2, the press service of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry reports.

According to preliminary information, the helicopters were shot down by unidentified persons with man-portable air-defence systems. Two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were killed, some received injuries.

A Mi-8 helicopter of the army aviation of Ukraine was damaged by small arms fire. No one was killed or injured. An investigative team is working at the scene.

“This fact of the PZRK [man-portable missile] use against the Ukrainian Armed Forces testifies that the well trained and armed groups are currently acting in Donetsk Oblast. They complete terroristic acts trying to destabilize the situation in the region,” the Ministry of Defence says.

According to earlier reports, a Ukrainian pilot was wounded and taken captive by separatists.

One militant was killed and several wounded.

The Ukrainian army has resumed the operation to free Slovyansk, which was seized by Russian saboteurs and separatists. The army attacked all checkpoints around the town. The television centre was freed with the help of helicopters.