Ukraine's president-elect Petro Poroshenko vowed to punish "terrorists and bandits" Friday after pro-Russian rebels downed an army helicopter in eastern Ukraine, killing 12 troops – including a senior general SIA reports quoting the France 24.
"We have to do everything we can to ensure no more Ukrainians die at the hands of terrorists and bandits. These criminal acts by the enemies of the Ukrainian people will not go unpunished".
The newly-elected president’s comments followed Thursday’s downing of a Mil Mi-8 helicopter gunship with a sophisticated surface-to-air missile near the separatist stronghold of Slaviansk. The attack killed 12 Ukrainian troops, including top military official, Major General Serhiy Kulchytsky.
Speaking to reporters in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev Friday, Mykhailo Koval, the country’s acting defence minister, said the military would press ahead with the offensive in eastern Ukraine. "Our given task is to bring peace and order to the region," said Koval.
Thursday’s incident was the second-deadliest since Ukraine launched what it calls "the active phase of anti-terror operations" a few weeks ago. On May 22, 18 soldiers were killed in heavy fighting in the eastern Donetsk region.
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