Pro-Seperatists shot down a Ukraine military helicopter Thursday, killing over a dozen including a military general, after violence broke out near Slovyansk.
The current president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, reported that the pro-seperatists took down the helicopter using Russia portable air missiles as their weapon of choice.
According to an Associated Press reporter, who witnessed the attack, the helicopter left a large amount of black smoke when it hit the ground. A Ukraine military jet was flying around as gunshots in Slovyansk continued to go off, making the site too dangerous for the reporter to get up close.
Slovyansk has a population of approximately 120,000 and its about 100 miles away from the Russian border. It is the main target of violent battles and attacks between the Ukraine military forces and the pro-seperatists. The citizens in the area have suffered as a result leaving several death and forcing many to evacuate, The Associated Press noted.
The violent attack is one of several to occur recently. Pro-Seperatists have shot down two other helicopters earlier this month, which left a pilot and a few soldiers dead. This past Monday the Pro-Seperatists abducted four international monitors that were part of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), according to BBC News.
Pro-Seperatists from Donetsk and Luhansk declared themselves independent of the Ukrainian government. Government officials refused to acknowledge their announcement.