Ukraine's Interior Minister Says Over 30 Dead in Eastern Clashes

Four members of the security forces and more than 30 terrorists [pro-Moscow insurgents] have died during the counter-terrorism operation, Ukrainian interior minister Arsen Avakov stated on Facebook on May 5.

“Today our casualties are four combatants [dead] and 20 injured. We estimate that the terrorists have lost over 30, and dozens have been injured,” Avak said.

He says that there are “a great many people from Crimea and some Russians”, in Slavyansk, and that some Chechens were there on April 5.

Avakov underlined that the Ukrainian forces are not allowed to fire at civilians. “The enemy is making active use of this limitation, hiding behind [civilians] and opening fire,” he wrote.

“Our army was systemically dismantled. We don’t have special units that are up to the mark,” he continued. “What’s happening now is the first process of combat coordination in many years. We are seeing who is who – who’s pretending, who is refusing to act, who is playing around, and who is not afraid. Understand that, and help us. “

This article republished from Ukrainska Pravda with kind permission.

Original article in Russian and Ukrainian.