Rebels shoot down Ukrainian military plane, 49 killed

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By Pavel Polityuk and Aleksandar Vasovic KIEV/NOVOHANNIVKA Ukraine (Reuters) - Pro-Russian separatists shot down an army transport plane in east Ukraine on Saturday, killing 49 servicemen and dealing a blow to a military campaign to defeat the rebels and hold the country together. President Petro Poroshenko summoned his security chiefs for consultations and promised an "adequate" response after the plane was hit by an anti-aircraft missile as it came in to land at Luhansk airport near the border with Russia "All those involved in cynical acts of terrorism of this magnitude must be punished," he said, declaring Sunday a day of mourning for the nine crew and 40 paratroopers killed. A platoon of rebel forces clad in camouflage fatigues scoured through the ruins for ammunition that had been intended for the government forces in east Ukraine. Local residents said government forces, who hold the airport and are often described as fascists by their foes, attacked rebel positions near the airfield with jets soon after day broke.




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