Spokesman: Three pilots from downed An-26 die in Sloviansk

He said that “three people were rescued, they have already been taken to hospital, two more pilots are being looked for, and a rescue operation is continuing.”

Selezniov recalled that the plane was carrying non-military goods. Separatists shot it down with MANPADS. The An-26 began to fall on residential neighbourhoods of Sloviansk, but the pilots managed to get it away from the city.

Some of the crew managed to jump out of a burning airplane with a parachute.

“At the cost of their lives the crew prevented the threat to residents of Sloviansk,” Selezniov said.

Earlier, the head of the Information Resistance group, Dmytro Tymchuk, reported that the An-26 aircraft was shot down from the newest Russian Verba MANPADS.