iStock/Thinkstock(KIEV, Ukraine) — Two Ukrainian military jets were shot down in the Donetsk region of the country Wednesday, the Ukrainian defense ministry said.
The planes were identified as Sukhoi-25 fighter jets. The fate of the planes’ pilots was not immediately known.
It happened at 12:30 p.m. Ukraine time (5:30 a.m. ET). Defense ministry did not state what kind of weapon was used to down the jets.
The Sukhoi-25 are single seat combat fighter jets. That same type of jet was shot down by a missile July 16.
The shoot down of the jets came in the same rebellious eastern part of the country where Malaysian Airlines flight 17 was shot down, killing 298 people on board. The MH17 flight was believed to have been shot down by a BUK anti-aircraft missile system.
Shortly before word of Wednesday’s shoot-down came, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt told ABC News that he’s very concerned Russia has not stopped the flow of heavy weapons into eastern Ukraine where ethnic Russians are trying to break away from Ukraine.
Fighting is currently taking place on the outskirts of Donetsk, one of the separatists last strongholds.
“We are very concerned that Russia has not pulled back on the flow of heavy weapons,” Pyatt said. “What needs to happen is Russia needs to stop sending weapons and fighters across the border.”
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