You're reading: Yarema: 125 Ukrainian soldiers killed during east Ukraine operation

 A total of 125 soldiers of Ukrainian government forces have been killed since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema has said. 

“As many as 125 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed over the period of anti-terrorist measures on the territory of Ukraine. They include 96 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 22 police officers, as well as border guards and personnel of Ukraine’s Security Service,” he said in televised remarks on Monday evening.

The biggest loss of life among Ukraine’s government forces occurred as a result of local unlawful armed groups shooting down Ukrainian Armed Forces airplanes and helicopters, he added.