Ukraine has promised to continue its offensive against pro-Russian militants despite the deadly loss of one of its helicopters.<br /><br />At least 12 soldiers were killed when rebels shot down the craft on Thursday on the outskirts of Slovyansk.<br /><br />The country’s acting defence minister, Mykhailo Koval, has again accused Russia of mounting a special military operation. <br /><br />“Our troops have ousted separatists from southern and western parts of the Donetsk region and the north of the Luhansk region,” said Koval.<br /><br />Meanwhile, it has emerged that another team of OSCE monitors has been detained in eastern Ukraine.<br /><br />The group of four was stopped by armed men in the town of Severodonetsk, some 100 kilometres north of Luhansk.<br /><br />Another team of election monitors was last heard from five days ago after being seized near Donetsk.
