Posted on 05/23/2014 5:03:42 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
At least 13 Ukrainian troops have died in an attack on a military checkpoint in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine as growing violence threatens to disrupt Sunday's presidential election.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirms to Fox News that there was an attack, and acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said 13 troops were killed. Associated Press reporters at the scene saw 11 bodies at the Ukrainian military checkpoint in the village of Blahodatne, 20 miles southeast of Donetsk.
Witnesses told the AP that the checkpoint was attacked by pro-Russian insurgents who wounded 33 more Ukrainian troops.
Three charred Ukrainian armored infantry vehicles, their turrets blown away, and several burned trucks were seen at the site, in one of two regions in eastern Ukraine that have declared independence from the interim government in Kiev. A military helicopter landed, carrying officials who inspected the area.
Residents said attackers used an armored bank truck, which the unsuspecting Ukrainian soldiers waved through, and then mowed them down at point-blank range. Their account couldn't be independently confirmed.
In the town of Horlivka, a rebel commander claimed responsibility for the raid and showed an array of seized Ukrainian weapons.
“The weapons you see here have been taken from the dead, they are trophies," he said, showing automatic and sniper rifles, rocket grenade launchers and bulletproof vests in the courtyard of the occupied Horlivka city police headquarters.
"We destroyed a checkpoint of the Ukrainian army deployed on the land of the Donetsk Republic," said the commander, who wore a balaclava and identified himself by his nom de guerre, "Bes," Russian for "demon.
On Thursday, a Fox News reporter in Donetsk also witnessed a raid by rebels on a district election office. The rebels took election material and an election official.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
RIP.
Amen. Pray for Ukraine
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