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Ukraine denies involvement in assassination attempt against separatist leader

Xinhua, August 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Ukraine has denied any involvement in an apparent assassination attempt against Igor Plotnytsky, the top leader of pro-independence insurgents in the country's eastern Lugansk region.

"The Ukrainian side is not implicated in this attempted assassination as it is illogical and does not solve any problem," military spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk told a briefing on Saturday.

Plotnytsky was severely injured earlier in the day in an explosion near his car.

The insurgent-run Lugansk information center said an explosive device equivalent to 10-15 kg of TNT went off at about 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) in Lugansk.

The device was planted on the lamp-post near the car, the statement said, adding that the injury is not life-threatening. Endi