Ukrainian guard boats ‘attacked’: official
A Pro-Russian rebel prepares arms for the the assault on the positions of Ukrainian army in Donetsk airport, eastern Ukraine, on Sunday. AP Photo/Mstislav Chernov
Kyiv [AFP]
Ukraine’s border service says its two patrol boats have been attacked near Mariupol, the industrial city on the Azov Sea coast.
‘We confirm there was fire on two border service motorboats near Mariupol,’ a spokesman for the Donetsk border guard service said.
Mariupol, a large city of about 500,000 people, is located about 50 kilometres from the Russian border and about 35 kilometres from Novoazovsk, which has been taken over by pro-Russian rebels.
Kyiv believes that Russian troops have provided substantial support to the rebels in their latest offensive along the coast of the Azov Sea, and authorities in Mariupol have called on residents to help defend the city.
The border guard service could not confirm reports that the boats were sunk by the Russian airforce or comment on possible casualties.