A Ukrainian soldier was killed on the front line in clashes with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, the army announced on Thursday (December 2nd), at the height of tensions with Moscow.
The death brings to 61 the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed since the beginning of the year in the east of the country, where Kiev's forces have been fighting since 2014 in a war that has left 13,000 dead.
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The soldier was killed on Wednesday, the army press service told AFP, which added that it had lost six soldiers in the area in November.
The Ukrainian army in a statement accused the separatists of firing at its positions with grenade launcher and large-caliber machine guns.
About a hundred dead from both camps
Russia is accused of financially and militarily supporting the separatists in this conflict which erupted shortly after the annexation of Crimea by Moscow, which it denies. The death announced Thursday comes at the height of tensions, Ukraine saying it fears an imminent invasion of Russia, which is accused of having massed troops at the border. Moscow for its part denies any bellicose tendency and in return accuses Ukraine of constituting a "
threat
" for itself and NATO of wanting to extend to its borders.
At least 61 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the east since the start of the year, compared to a total of 50 in the whole of 2020, when a truce was widely respected in the country, according to a toll compiled from official sources. during the second half of the year.
The separatists have reported the loss of some 40 their fighters since the start of the year.
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