Ukraine Forces Gain Ground in Restive East as Rebels Shoot Down Warplane

YASYNUVATA, Ukraine – Ukrainian forces made big advances into rebel-controlled territory on Sunday, assaulting Russian-backed fighters with heavy artillery, even as was one of their planes was shot down in a push toward the stronghold cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.



Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a tweet Sunday afternoon that government troops had reclaimed Yasynuvata, a strategically important city with a rail junction that borders Donetsk to the north.

See also: Ukraine Says Troops 'Eliminated' Part of Russian Military Convoy

Around 100 long-faced rebels were strategizing on a road behind a tree line on the southern outskirts of the town near a convoy of trucks and beaten-up cars, some of them camouflaged. They told Mashable that they had been under artillery, mortar and sniper fire all day.



Less than half a mile ahead, beyond the blazing flame of a coking plant and across rusty railroad tracks, those scurrying back from the front line said Ukrainian tanks were less than 2 miles away in the center of Yasynuvata.



Three of the fighters held Russian-made Dragunov sniper rifles, while another had his arms full of rocket-propelled grenades. Read more...

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