MOSCOW. June 25 (Interfax) - In addition to nine Ukrainian military servicemen, the helicopter shot down on Tuesday near Slovyansk, the Donetsk region, could have been carrying a group of foreign advisers as well, says Igor Strelkov (Girkin), the commander of the armed groups of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
"A group of foreign military advisers or PMC [private military company] commanders could have been on board the helicopter that our troops shot down yesterday. The information has not been verified, and I cannot vouch for its authenticity," Pavel Gubarev, the DPR 'people's governor', quoted Strelkov as saying on his Facebook account.
Meanwhile, Andrei Purgin, the DPR first deputy prime minister, told Interfax on Wednesday that the DPR leadership had no information on the possible presence of foreign military advisers on board the military helicopter shot down near Slovyansk.
"I don't have information concerning foreign military advisers on board this helicopter. What happened to the crew is unknown," he said.
DPR militia had confirmed on Tuesday that it had shot down a Ukrainian military helicopter near Slovyansk.
The Ukrainian Security Service confirmed later on Tuesday that its members had been among those killed in the helicopter crash.