Article content continued

By early evening, acting President Oleksander Turchynov said the army controlled all of the checkpoints around Slovyansk, a city of 125,000 people. He said two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and seven wounded in Friday’s clashes and the insurgents suffered significant losses, including many killed or injured. It was not clear if the two dead referred to the helicopter crew.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or

“Our security forces are fighting mercenaries of foreign states, terrorists and criminals,” Turchynov said in a statement.

One of the downed helicopters was hit by a surface-to-air missile, the Ukrainian Security Service said, calling it a sophisticated weapon that undercut Russia’s claims the city was simply under the control of armed locals. The agency said its forces were fighting “highly skilled foreign military men” in Slovyansk.

The Russian state television channel Rossia 24 showed one man who they said was a wounded helicopter pilot surrounded by pro-Russia forces.

Central Slovyansk still remained in the hands of pro-Russia gunmen, according to AP journalists in the city. Several foreign news crews trying to cover the fighting were detained for several hours Friday before being released.

A clash also broke out late Friday between pro-Russians and government supporters in Odesa, a Black Sea coast port some 550 kilometres (330 miles) from the turmoil in the east. Police said one person died from gunshot fire and other was wounded. Until now, Odesa had remained largely untroubled since the February toppling of pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych, which ignited tensions in the east.