Friday, April 25, 2014

Ukraine helicopter hit by grenade taking off

A Ukraine helicopter has been crippled in a grenade attack as OSCE monitors are feared missing in volatile east

An Ukrainian military helicopter flies near the village of Malinivka, east of Slavyansk
An Ukrainian military helicopter flies near the village of Malinivka, east of Slavyansk Photo: Baz Ratner/Reuters
Following the incident there were fears that the situation had taken a sinister new turn when Germany said it feared a group of military observers operating in eastern Ukraine had gone missing. Officials said they could not contact the delegates from the Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe.
The Ukrainian military helicopter exploded at a base near the eastern town of Kramatorsk on Friday after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, officials in Kiev said. The helicopter was hit in the fuel tank and exploded.
"An army Mi-8 helicopter has exploded at the Kramatorsk aerodrome," the defence ministry in Kiev said in a statement.
The chopper was on the ground when it was targeted and that the pilot managed to escape but sustained injuries.

No comments: