Pro-Russian rebels shot down two Ukrainian helicopters on Friday, killing two cr

ew, as troops tightened their siege of separatist-held Slaviansk in what Moscow

called a "criminal" assault by Kiev that wrecked hopes of peace.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said the Kremlin was "extremely worried" th
at it had not heard from an envoy Putin had sent to the eastern city to help fre
e foreign hostages. He said the "punitive operation" mounted by Ukrainian forces
had destroyed a peace plan agreed with Western powers two weeks ago.
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry said in a statement that two Mi-24 helicopter gun
ships were shot down by shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles while on patrol
overnight around Slaviansk, a city that rebels have turned into a heavily-forti
fied stronghold. Two airmen were killed and others wounded. The attack helicopte
r normally has two crew but can carry more.
Other Ukrainian officials and the separatist leader in Slaviansk had said earlie
r that one airman was taken prisoner.