Ukraine Army helicopters shot down in Slavyansk during special operation against Slavyansk Self Defence Forces

Two Mi-24 helicopters have been downed in Slavyansk, while one Mi-8 helicopter was damaged and forced to land, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry says. Friday morning Ukrainian army began a special operation against pro-autonomy activists in the eastern town of Slavyansk.

A helicopter carrying militants from the Right Sector nationalist movement has landed on the outskirts of Slavyansk, RIA Novosti reports.

The city is now blockaded by the Ukrainian military, with 20 helicopters deployed to crack down on self-defense forces

English-speaking foreigners are participating in the “special operation” being carried out by the Ukrainian Army in the eastern city of Slavyansk, the head of the city’s self-defense force has told Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

“Self-defense troops using walkie-talkies have picked up English speech,” he told Ria, claiming this was “direct evidence of the participation of foreign citizens in the punitive operation being carried out in Slavyansk.”

By unleashing a ‘punitive operation’ in eastern Ukraine, Kiev has destroyed the last vestige of hope for implementing the Geneva agreement on de-escalating the Ukrainian crisis, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"While Russia is making efforts to de-escalate and resolve the conflict, the Kiev regime has chosen military aviation strikes on peaceful residential areas and started a punitive operation, literally destroying the last hope for the viability of the Geneva accords,” Peskov said.


THE PEOPLE OF SLAVYANSK SPEAK OUT