Lugansk: local self-defense forces launch counteroffensive
14 June 2014, 22:10 -- Local defenders in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic launched a counteroffensive to free the town of Schastye earlier seized by Ukrainian forces, press service of the republic said on Saturday. According to earlier reports, a column of armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was moving toward Lugansk from Schastye. 'Preparations are underway to defend the city,' one of the republic's leaders said. There was no information about the strength of the Ukrainian force that was on the way to Lugansk.
A militia source said that defenders had to retreat to Lugansk during the assault against Schastye, when Kiev's forces used combat helicopters. The defenders regrouped. Militia sources also said Ukrainian troops lost eight people in fighting near Schastye.
One of militiamen also said that when they retreated under the assault of Ukrainian armored vehicles, members of the Ukrainian National Guards shot dead six-seven wounded militiamen.
Meanwhile, the press service of the Donetsk People's Republic told Itar-Tass that defenders shot down a Su-24 bomber of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Gorlovka, the Donetsk region.
Two Su-24s attacked the police department building in Gorlovka with cluster bombs. One of the planes was shot down from a portable antiaircraft gun, a source said. The plane fell outside the city. The pilot bailed out. Groups of defenders went to search for the pilot.
The shelling of the police building, the headquarters of the local, killed one and injured five people. One of them is in heavy condition.
Ukrainian authorities earlier confirmed that a military transport plane was shot down at Lugansk airport overnight. When landing at Lugansk airport, an Il-76 military transport plane of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was downed by a shot from an antiaircraft missile system. On board the plane were nine crewmembers and 40 servicemen. All died the press service of the Ukrainian prosecutor's office said.
Air-raid alert is declared in Lugansk
Air-raid alert has been declared in Lugansk, reports correspondent of RIA Novosti. The city sirens are warning about the air threat. The spokesman Vladimir Inogorodsky said to RIA Novosti that aircrafts of the Ukrainian army are flying over the city. 'Ukrainian warplanes are circling over the city. An air alert has been declared. Since the planes are not delivering any strikes at the moment, people are not being evacuated from the city as of yet,' the press service said.
On Friday evening, Ukrainian military helicopters fired town Schastye. It was also reported that the Ukrainian army is firing near Lugansk. Kiev carries out special military operation to suppress pro-independence supporters in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, as they did not recognize the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian authorities who came to power in a coup in February.
Most major confrontations are taking place in Slavyansk of Donetsk region in the north, as well as in neighboring Kramatorsk and in Mariupol in the south region. In Moscow, this special operation, which has already resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, including among the civilian population, called punitive and urged Kiev to stop immediately.
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