KYIV. June 27 (Interfax) - Five soldiers of Ukrainian government forces were killed during militia attacks on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' roadblocks in the military operation area in the country's east, National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) spokesman Andriy Lysenko has said.
"Regrettably, Ukrainian security forces have suffered losses. Five of our guys were killed during this fighting," Lysenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.
The official, however, declined to say where and when those attacks were staged.
"Armed opponents" of the Kyiv authorities have opened fire 11 times on government forces' roadblocks and strongholds near the cities of Slovyansk, Artemivsk, Kryva Luka and Kramatorsk over the past 24 hours, Lysenko said.
Ukrainian soldiers have seized two T-64b tanks and have destroyed another one, he said.
"The origin of these three vehicles is being established," he added.
In a separate development, border guards shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle flying along the Ukrainian-Russian border near the village of Nikanorovka, Donetsk region, on June 26.