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Ukraine dismisses insurgents' reports on downed warplanes

Xinhua, February 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday denied reports from independence-seeking insurgents that militia of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) have shot down a government air force plane.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry described the information disseminated by the self-styled LPR leader Igor Plotnitsky about the presumably downed plane as "absolute lie."

"The information, which was spread by the representatives of the so-called 'LPR' about the allegedly downed plane of the Ukrainian Armed Forces over Irmino, contradicts the reality," the press service of the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Separately, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko emphasized that government forces do not deploy military aviation in its operation against pro-independence rebels in east.

"Ukraine's combat aviation does not fly in the airspace," said local media reports, quoting Lysenko.

Earlier in the day, the self-styled leader of the so-called " LPR" told Russian media that the rebel forces have downed a government air force plane, presumably a Su-25 fighter jet, near the city of Irmino in Lugansk region.

On Monday, insurgents in Ukraine's restive east also claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian military plane over Gorlovka town in Donetsk region, in a report, which Ukrainian military officials have strictly denied. Endite