Kiev

No Serbian citizens in eastern Ukraine - MFA

BELGRADE -- The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday that according to the available data, there are no Serbian citizens in eastern Ukraine.

All Serbian citizens who reported to the Serbian embassy in Kiev have left the unsafe zone and traveled to Serbia via Kiev, a statement added.

Ukraine's president-elect Petro Poroshenko vowed to punish pro-Russian rebels who downed an army helicopter in the east of the country, killing 12 troops in one of the deadliest attacks of the insurgency.

Ten people died near the town of Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine after pro-Russian separatists shot down a military helicopter.

Outgoing President Oleksandr Turchynov confirmed reports that Gen Serhiy Kulchitsky, a senior National Guard general in response for combat and special training, was among the victims.

Pro-Russian rebels shot down a Ukrainian helicopter Thursday, killing 12 soldiers including a general in one of the biggest setbacks in Kiev's seven-week campaign against insurgents in the separatist east.
      

Poland has nominated its Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to become the next EU foreign policy chief.

The country's Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quoted by the BBC as saying that Sikorski would be a "natural candidate".

In Tusk's view, "Poland has gained such influence in foregn policy" that the position would be within the scope" of its interests.

The Presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signеd on Thursday an agreement establishing the Eurasian Economic Council.

Kazakhstan's capital Astana saw the emerging of a 170-million-strong bloc in which free movement of goods, capital, services and working force are to be guaranteed.

Ukraine said Tuesday it had recaptured the airport in the eastern city of Donetsk after deadly battles with pro-Moscow rebels, while EU leaders urged Russia to work with the country's new president.
      
Caught up in the drama in Donetsk were a team of international monitors with the OSCE who have gone missing after being detained at a checkpoint.
      

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says it has lost a contact with one of its monitoring teams in Ukraine.

Four monitors operating in the southeast of the country have not been accounted for since 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Monday, according to the BBC.

The observers performing a routine mission.

More than 50 pro-Russian rebels were killed in an unprecedented assault by Ukrainian government forces, which raged into a second day on Tuesday after a newly-elected president vowed to crush the revolt in the east once and for all.
   

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yuriy Prodan said "no progress" had been registered in negotiations with Russia over Kiev's debt for gas supplies.