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| Ukraine crisis: Military plane shot down in Luhansk | Ukraine crisis: Military plane shot down in Luhansk |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pro-Russian rebels have shot down a military transport plane in eastern Ukraine, reportedly killing 49 Ukrainian service personnel. | |
| Ukraine's defence ministry said the Il-76 transport plane crashed after coming under anti-aircraft fire over Luhansk. | Ukraine's defence ministry said the Il-76 transport plane crashed after coming under anti-aircraft fire over Luhansk. |
| In a statement it said "terrorists" had "cynically and treacherously" fired on the aircraft. | |
| The plane was carrying troops and military equipment and was about to land at the city's airport. | The plane was carrying troops and military equipment and was about to land at the city's airport. |
| It is thought to be the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since Kiev began an operation to try to defeat the insurgency in east Ukraine. | |
| Military spokesman Vladislav Seleznov said "preliminary information" suggested 49 military personnel on board the aircraft were killed. | |
| The incident came less than a week after pro-Russia rebels launched a series of attacks on Ukrainian forces at Luhansk International Airport. | The incident came less than a week after pro-Russia rebels launched a series of attacks on Ukrainian forces at Luhansk International Airport. |
| The airport has been under the control of government forces but the rebels hold most of the rest of the city. | The airport has been under the control of government forces but the rebels hold most of the rest of the city. |
| 'Russian' tanks | 'Russian' tanks |
| Luhansk is the main city of one of two eastern regions where pro-Russia separatists have declared independence from Kiev. | Luhansk is the main city of one of two eastern regions where pro-Russia separatists have declared independence from Kiev. |
| The "anti-terrorist operation" by Ukraine government forces has left at least 270 people dead over the past two months. | |
| Ukraine's new President Petro Poroshenko had said that fighting must end "this week" following his inauguration in Kiev last Sunday. | |
| Meanwhile, the US said it was confident that tanks being used by separatists in eastern Ukraine came from Russia. | Meanwhile, the US said it was confident that tanks being used by separatists in eastern Ukraine came from Russia. |
| "Russia will claim these tanks were taken from Ukrainian forces, but no Ukrainian tank units have been operating in that area," a US state department spokeswoman said. | "Russia will claim these tanks were taken from Ukrainian forces, but no Ukrainian tank units have been operating in that area," a US state department spokeswoman said. |
| "We are confident that these tanks came from Russia," she added. | "We are confident that these tanks came from Russia," she added. |
| The appearance of the tanks, filmed in various towns in the Donetsk region, sparked a row between Kiev and Moscow. | The appearance of the tanks, filmed in various towns in the Donetsk region, sparked a row between Kiev and Moscow. |
| Russia has denied allegations that the tanks had entered Ukraine from its territory. | Russia has denied allegations that the tanks had entered Ukraine from its territory. |