2 Ukrainian soldiers killed in rebel ambush

At least two Ukrainian soldiers were killed in an ambush by pro-independence insurgents in the eastern Lugansk region, a military spokesman said Saturday.

Andrei Lysenko, spokesman for the government's military operation, said the soldiers, which were killed at a checkpoint fortified by government forces, were both volunteer fighters from the National Guard force.

Besides the fatalities, 20 government troops were wounded in 14 attacks carried out by the rebels over the past day, Lysenko said.

He said the insurgents have intensified their offensive against Ukrainian positions at the three fighting flashpoints near the cities of Donetsk, Lugansk and Mariupol.

There were no confirmed rebel or civilian casualties in the last 24 hours.

Government troops and pro-independence insurgents have been locked in fierce confrontation in eastern Ukraine since mid-April 2014, leaving at least 4,700 people dead and over 10,000 wounded. Endi