KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s president says he may terminate a weeklong cease-fire ahead of time because of continuing rebel attacks.
President Petro Poroshenko’s statement Tuesday came hours after pro-Russian insurgents in Slovyansk downed a Ukrainian military helicopter, killing nine servicemen. On Monday, a rebel leader promised to respect the cease-fire.
Poroshenko declared the cease-fire on Friday as part of a peace plan to end two-month fighting between the government troops and the rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Poroshenko said in the statement that the insurgents have fired on Ukrainian positions 35 times since the cease-fire was announced.